Harsh Wounds and a Gentle Touch
by FreeLanceDragon
Summary: (Part 1 of 3) Safiya is servant to the High Priest Seth, but things take an unexpected twist for her when his jealousy clouds his vision...
1. A New Beginning

A/N I don't own any of the Yu-Gi-Oh characters. Safiya is mine, because she came from the deep recesses of my mind, but she's the only one here. And I'm sorry if these guys seem out of character. I tooka bit of poetic license when I wrote this. And I'm done blabbing. Here you go. Hope you enjoy.

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Safiya was a beautiful young Egyptian woman who was the personal servant to the High Priest Seth. She had ice blue eyes, long white hair, and lightly bronzed skin. She was tall, thin, and graceful, and she had a deep compassion for others. She was also a very strong woman, standing firm in what she believed was right and wrong. Her combination of strength and compassion made her a very loyal friend to those she held close, and even to those she knew very little. When she was not fulfilling a task around the palace, she could often be found playing with children, helping others, or simply making those around her laugh. Despite all odds, she always had a smile on her face.

Safiya lived in the palace and served under the High Priest Seth, but she was not born there. She was born in a small hut on the outskirts of the palace gates. Her father had a twisted knee and was unable to work, so her mother and elder brother were forced to find odd jobs in order to feed and support the family. Safiya was only a small girl and was unable to perform anything other than menial tasks, so she remained in the hut with her father during the day. She was very close to her family, but she always wanted to do more with her life. She wanted to be something great, and her family knew this.

On her twelfth birthday, her father informed her that she was going to work in the palace under the son of one of the high priests. He explained to her that the one of the high priests had seen her in the market one day and wanted her to be with his son. Safiya was both overjoyed and heart-broken. It was the opportunity that she needed to live a better life, but it meant leaving her family behind, possibly forever. Her father sensed her hesitation and told her that she should go and make the best of it.

The very next day, the palace guards arrived at Safiya's small hut in order to escort her to the palace. She had her things packed and ready to go and she said good-bye to her mother, father, and brother, promising to keep them in her heart at all times. And with that, she was escorted to the palace.

She was to be the personal servant of Seth, serving his food, cleaning his garments, and fulfilling any other duties that came to his mind. He was only a year older than she was, so they became fast friends. He treated her well, and gave her light tasks to perform. There were even occasions when they talked late into the night. It was during these times that she would ask Seth about the prince, a young boy of her age who was to inherit the throne upon his father's passing. She had never seen the prince, but she loved to hear about him, and since Seth was very close friends with him, he had plenty to tell.

When she turned fifteen, a disease spread throughout the palace, killing the older and weaker palace-dwellers. Among those who died were Atemu's mother and father and Seth's father. This meant that Atemu became pharaoh and Seth became the high priest. Since the two teens lost their only family, they became closer friends, and Seth swore to protect Atemu from danger. They became closer than brothers, and were often discussing matters of great importance or trying to get the other to laugh.

Seth retained Safiya as his personal servant and continued to treat her well. But it wasn't until a few years into Atemu's reign, that Safiya became aware of the full extent of Seth's feelings for her. One night, he proclaimed his love for her. She loved him as family, but nothing more, so she kindly refused his advances. Being a high priest, he was not used to rejection or insubordination, as he felt it was. For months he tried in vain to woo her, but she continued to gently refuse him. His love soon turned to lust, and he fell into the habit of beating Safiya by night, if she refused him or looked at another man.

She seemed to draw strength from his beatings and she continued to refuse him. In her heart she believed that he would not beat her until death, and since she had nowhere to turn, she came to accept the cuts, bruises, and scars as part of her life. Since he never marked her face, she quietly covered the proof of Seth's anger and put a smile on, remaining strong for those around her.

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A/N There is definitely more to come. This was just an intro. Be patient, and things will get exciting. 


	2. Kind Words

A/N I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any related characters, I'm simply borrowing them. But I'm not making any money, so it's all good.

B.E.W.DWarriorPrincess: I hate to disappoint you, but this is not actually a Seth x OC pairing... Please don't hate me.:cowers in fear:You'll get a taste of where the plot is headed in this chapter. (That was my vain attempt to keep you reading...) And thank you for commenting on my writing ettiquette. I'm actually the copy editor for my school newspaper, and I pride myself on my grammar and spelling. XD And in answer to your last question, yes, this story does take place in Ancient Egypt. (But I have one, possibly two, more stories already written out that take these characters and plot to the present.) I hope I didn't turn you off from my reading...

PirateMonkey: Relax, relax, as far as I'm concered Priest Seth can stay with Kisara (and yes, I know who she is). This story isn't really about his love life.I probably should have been clearer with that.Priest Seth is actually the bad guy. I'm sorry if I stepped on your toes, and I hope that you keep reading... Maybe? Please? lol

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At night, Seth was a monster, unleashing his rage on Safiya, but during the day, he remained the kind, gentle man that he had always been, and his relationship with Atemu remained unchanged. The High Priest and the Pharaoh often ate their meals together, and Safiya would serve them their food simultaneously. It was during these times that she felt a great love welling up inside of her for the Pharaoh. He was young, just a teenager like herself, but he had such authority and an absolute sense of justice. He ruled over Egypt with a firm, yet caring hand and the people loved him. And the fact that the Pharaoh was attractive had not escaped her. He had deep red eyes and a slender face framed by red, black, and blonde hair. He wore garments of the purest whites and blues, and adorning his neck at all times was the mysterious Millennium Puzzle. She often caught herself staring at the Pharaoh from afar, but a quick glance at Seth told her that he had not missed her longing gaze. His eyes would glaze over with jealousy and she would bow her head out of humility, and slowly turn and walk away.

One day while she was bringing Atemu and Seth their noonday meal, she stumbled on a loose tile, dropping the food to the floor.

"Safiya, you clumsy fool. Please, clean this up and bring us a fresh meal." She knew Seth's voice all too well, and she quickly dropped to her knees and used her own long black skirt to soak up the mess she had made. She was shocked a few moments later to find a second set of hands helping her to clean the floor. She looked up to find the Pharaoh, kneeling opposite her, using his own white garments to soak up some of the spill. Startled, she quickly bowed to the floor before him, carefully avoiding the food.

"My humble apologies Pharaoh, I am sorry to have delayed your meal. Please—"

He placed a hand on her chin and gently lifted her face in order to look her in the eyes. "Every day you bring us our meals, and not once have I seen a complaint in your eyes. In fact, whenever I see you, you are making others smile and laugh. You truly live up to the meaning of your name: pure. Seth is a very lucky man to have you by his side, Safiya."

Tears threatened to fall as she drank in the depths of his eyes. "Thank you, my Lord." A quick glance at Seth shattered the moment, as she noticed the hatred darkening his face. "Please excuse me." Before the Pharaoh could say another word, she picked up the dishes and rushed away to get a new meal.

For the rest of the day, Safiya felt as though she was walking on a cloud. The Pharaoh had spoken to her, complimented her, and come to her aid. Nothing could bring her down or contain the smile that beamed from her face.


	3. Meeting by Moonlight

A/N Standard disclaimer here... I don't own any Yu-Gi-Oh characters, the only one who is mine is Safiya.

A/N When I realized how short the last chapter was, I decided to post a second one. Sorry that the lengths are so erratic. I'll try to even them out a bit.

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That night, Safiya went to her room singing a song like none she had ever sung before. The sounds that flowed from her mouth were like those from a beautiful bird welcoming the morning. She was normally very shy about her voice, but those who were lucky enough to hear her sing claimed to have never heard such a beautiful sound. But tonight, she sang her heart out, not caring who heard her. Unfortunately, someone who did hear her did not appreciate the sound.

"Safiya." The low growl sent shivers down her spine, and she immediately ceased singing. Since she was Seth's personal servant, her room was only separated from his by a thin curtain, and she often forgot this. She consciously slowed her breathing and calmly stood, preparing herself for the wrath she was about to receive. Within seconds, the High Priest had thrown the curtain aside and lunged at her. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his room.

"You think I didn't notice what happened today?" He slapped her across the face, sending a burst of stars through her vision. He threw her to the floor, where she waited for his next move. "The way you looked at the Pharaoh today, the way you've been smiling, the way you've been singing, it makes me sick!" He reached for his whip and proceeded to beat Safiya, ripping open old wounds on her back and legs, and creating new ones at the same time. But not once did she utter a sound, refusing to give him the pleasure of hearing her cry out in pain. Instead, she thought of Atemu and the kindness he had bestowed upon her that day, and in doing so, she was able to ignore the pain of Seth's jealousy.

After some time had passed, he tired of her. "Get out of my sight and remember this when the Pharaoh crosses your mind next." Safiya carefully rose to her knees, bowing to her master. She then returned to her room and waited until he fell asleep.

When his breathing slowed and she was sure that he was asleep, she quietly slipped out of her room and headed towards the Pharaoh's quarters. She passed his guards while hiding in the shadows and entered his room unseen. A single beam of moonlight cast a silver glow upon the Pharaoh's bed, illuminating his peaceful figure. Safiya noiselessly moved to his bedside and knelt, unsure of what she was doing.

Before long, the pain of Seth's beating caught up to her and she began to weep softly. The Pharaoh awoke to the noise and shot up to a sitting position. "Who's there?"

Safiya quickly dropped her face to the floor. "It is I, my Lord, your humble servant Safiya."

The Pharaoh's features softened when he heard her voice. When his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he found her bleeding figure beside his bed. "Safiya, what are these wounds upon your back?" He climbed out of his bed and dropped to her side, concern etched into his features.

With tears wetting her cheeks, she spoke. "My Lord, I do not want to cause strife in your palace. I am not sure why I came here. Please forgive me." She rose to leave, but before she could get far, she felt a gentle hand upon her wrist.

"Safiya, whatever brought you to me must have been important. Please, stay. At least allow me to clean your wounds."

"But, my Lord—"

"Please, call me Atemu."

"Oh no, my Lord, I could not."

His eyes glimmered in the moonlight, and a half-smile crept across his features. "Do not make me decree it."

Safiya smiled at the Pharaoh's humor. "Atemu," she whispered, allowing the name to play on her tongue.

"Now please, allow me to clean those wounds."

"Alright… Atemu."

He helped her onto his bed and had her lie flat on her stomach. He lit a torch and gathered some wet cloths and bandages. The wounds upon her back and legs were vicious, and he could think of no justification for such hatred. He gently pulled her shredded garments away and wiped away the drying blood. To his horror, he found numerous scars covering her skin.

"Safiya, who has done this to you?"

"My Lord—"

"Atemu," he interrupted.

"Atemu, I do not want to cause strife within your palace."

"Yes, you said that before. Is it Seth who has done this to you?" She said nothing, but simply turned her head away from him and began to weep once more. "Safiya, he has no right to do this to you. Let me speak to him—"

She jumped up, startling him into dropping the cloth in his hand. "My Lord, you cannot! If you say anything to the High Priest, he will surely kill me!"

"If I am not mistaken," he said slowly. "He is killing you now." As she thought about his words, she dropped her head in shame.

"I beg of you, please do not say anything to him."

He hesitated, then sighed heavily. "You are a strong woman, Safiya, and I respect that. I will not say anything to Seth. But in return for my silence, you must agree to visit me every night."

"But my Lord," she whispered softly. "He does this every night."

A wave of disgust crossed his face, followed by a wave of sympathy for the girl. "Then allow me to tend to your wounds every night."

Tears fell from her eyes again, but these were no longer tears of pain. "I agree, my Lord."

"Please, call me Atemu."

The two talked long into the night. Atemu finished cleaning and bandaging her wounds while they spoke of family, friends, dreams, and everything in between. When the conversation began to die down, she began to sing. The song had a gentle and soothing tone, and was meant for Atemu's ears only. She sang of a savior in the night with a gentle touch and a kind heart. The Pharaoh soon fell asleep to the sounds of her voice, and she quietly returned to her room.


	4. All I Did Was Look

A/N I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, it's just fun to play with.

B.E.W.DWarriorPrincess: Thanks for the comment, and I'm sorry to disappoint you with the pairing, but you're right. I didn't want to say it outright, but it is an Atemu x OC. But I'm glad that you're still reading. XD

And to all readers, I hope that my OC doesn't turn out to be the proverbial Mary-Sue. Let me know if you think she's improving or worsening.

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The next day, Safiya went about her duties as usual. She brought Seth his morning meal, washed his clothes, and cleaned up his quarters, all the while humming to herself. When she had finished her morning chores, it was just about time for her to serve the Pharaoh and Priest their meals. She found the food in the cook's quarters, as usual, and deftly carried the tray out to the dining hall.

As she approached the two men, she held the Pharaoh's gaze. He returned her gaze, smiling at her. She blushed a bit, and lowered her head. Seth, who was watching closely, did not miss a pass between his friend and servant.

Atemu and Seth chatted idly while they ate, and Safiya stood to the side, patiently waiting for them to finish so that she could remove their place settings. She watched the two eat, and her heart skipped a beat whenever Atemu would steal a glance at her, standing in the corner.

This unspoken communication between his friend and servant enraged Seth, who could only watch and wait until nightfall to release his anger.

After a short while, the two finished their meals and Safiya humbly approached their table. Without looking at either one, for fear of blushing, she gathered up their dishes and gracefully removed them. When she was out of hearing distance, she began to hum to herself softly.

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When night fell and Safiya returned to her room, she found Seth waiting for her. Seeing the look on his face, she fell to her knees before him, patiently awaiting the first blow. He calmly approached her kneeling form then angrily grabbed a handful of her white hair. He then yanked her head back, forcing her to look him in the eyes. The jealousy and hatred she saw there were more intense than she had ever seen before. "You little whore. You refuse me and instead, actively pursue Atemu." 

"My Lord," she pleaded, "all I did was look at him."

He yanked her hair back so violently that she was thrown on her back, hitting her head on the floor. When she looked up, Seth was crouching over her body, pinning her to the floor. He grabbed her jaw with such a force that she was sure it would leave a bruise, and pulled her face up to his. He kissed her angrily, biting her lip in the process. "The next time you talk back to me," he whispered cruelly, "will be the last time that you speak." He stood and reached for his whip. She slowly rose to a kneeling position and awaited the cruel blows from her merciless master. While she waited, she raised a hand to her lips and pulled them away to reveal blood. This was the first time he had ever drawn blood on her face. She wasn't sure how she could hide the swollen lip that she was sure to have, but she figured she could make up an excuse.

While she was thinking of a tale to tell, the first blows of the whip cracked upon her back. She gasped sharply, and quickly turned her thoughts to Atemu. She soon overcame the pain with memories of the Pharaoh's gentle touch and waited for Seth to finish.

This beating lasted longer than the others and was more violent. When he had finally finished and stepped away, the pain rushed over her like a flood. White lights cascaded through her vision and she began to feel faint. Her torn clothes were warm and sticky with her own blood, and when she looked down, she could see a small crimson pool forming beneath her. Seth's cruel voice cut through her like a knife. "Get away from me. I don't want to see or hear you again until morning."

She forced herself to stand, and shakily passed through the curtain to her room. She did not have to wait long for Seth to fall asleep, and when he did, she headed for the Pharaoh's room as quickly and quietly as she possibly could.


	5. A Question of Pursuit

A/N I don't own these guys, I'm just having fun with them.

WiNdScArBaBe: I'm glad that your light side approves of my story. Now to get the dark side to approve... Is there any hope? Hehe... And by the way, congrats for figuring out how to glare at yourself. :D

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Again, she easily passed the guards, and entered the Pharaoh's room. She found him lying on his bed with a dimmed torch, waiting for her. When he first laid eyes on her, he rose and rushed to her side, seeing that she was unsteady on her feet. He helped her to his bed and as he did the previous night, he laid her on her stomach and proceeded to carefully clean and bandage her wounds in silence.

After some time, he spoke softly. "Safiya, he's getting worse. I need to say something or he will kill you."

Between shallow breaths she replied, "No my Lord, we made a deal. You cannot say anything to him."

He sighed. "What made this beating so much worse than the one last night?" Her silence gave him his answer. "It was me, wasn't it?"

"He saw you looking at me, and me looking at you, and it angered him. He feels that I am…" She drifted off, not completing her thought.

"What?"

"He feels that I am pursuing you."

Atemu, surprised, stopped bandaging her wounds for a moment. "And are you?"

"I told him that all I did was look at you, my Lord."

Feeling oddly disappointed, he continued to bandage her wounds. "Safiya, the next time you call me 'my Lord,' you will break my heart."

"I'm sorry… Atemu..."

"Now that wasn't so difficult, was it?"

"Harder than you think, my—" She stopped short, correcting herself mid-thought. "Atemu."

He leaned in close to her ear. "'My Atemu'…" He whispered softly. "I like the sound of that."

His warm breath sent chills down her spine. Sensing that he was done with her bandages, she gently rolled over onto her back and looked into his deep red eyes. When she saw the smile on his lips, she couldn't help but reflect it.

He leaned in towards her, closing the space between them. "Let me ask you again, Safiya. Are you pursuing me?"

She looked further into his eyes, trying to discern his meaning. Seeing nothing but love for her, she answered, "And what if I am, my Atemu?"

He leaned in to kiss her, but when his lips touched hers, she let out a small cry of pain. "Safiya, are you okay?"

She turned her face into the light, revealing her already swollen lip. Tears began to fall from her eyes, catching the light as they left glistening trails down her cheeks. With a touch as soft as the purest silk, he wiped her tears away.

"What did he do?" His voice was heavy with concern.

She leaned into his touch, welcoming it. To her, it had become a safeguard against the evil of Priest Seth. "This was the first time that he has forced himself upon me. He kissed me and bit my lip." She could sense the Pharaoh tensing. "But now that I am with you, my Atemu, all is well." He relaxed and kissed her forehead.

"Just let me know when I can do something, and it will be done."

"I will not hesitate, when I see that the time is right."

He was unsure of what she meant, but he trusted her. He moved farther up onto his bed and placed his head on his pillow. He motioned for her to lie beside him, and she did so.

"Stay with me tonight Saph," he whispered.

"Saph… I haven't heard that name for years. My elder brother used to call me that," she closed her eyes, remembering her family.

"Do you mind if I call you Saph?"

She smiled. "Not at all. It brings back good memories."

"Then please, Saph, stay the night. I want to hear more of your family."

"I cannot stay the night, my Atemu. If I am not in my room when Seth awakes…"

She didn't have to finish the thought for him to understand her meaning. "I understand. Then at least stay for a while longer?"

She nodded her head, and began to tell him of her family. She told him of her mother, father, and brother, and anything else that she could remember. When she sensed that he was tiring, she began to sing. With a voice to rival a nightingale, she sang a sweet melody about a brave young pharaoh who cared for and protected his people. Before long, the brave young pharaoh was sleeping peacefully.


	6. Look at Me

A/N Yu-gi-oh's not mine... blah blah blah

B.E.W.DWarriorPrincess: Thanks for your faithful reviews. I'm really glad you like my story.

WiNdScArBaBe: Here's a bit of a spoiler for you... Your light side may be happy with the story now, but if you stick with it through to the end, your dark side will enjoy it, too. Oops... I've said too much. 0:)

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This trend continued for months. Every night, Seth would beat Safiya, and every night, she would steal away to the Pharaoh's quarters where he would tend to her wounds. But Atemu had learned to control himself during the day by not looking at Safiya while Seth was around. He could not stand the guilt of feeling that he was responsible for her pain. And just as he had learned to control himself, she had learned to control herself. She no longer lifted her eyes from the floor when she was around the Pharaoh. In spite of this, Seth continued to beat Safiya in the evening, and every night, after he fell asleep, she would find healing in Atemu's gentle touch. But one night, things changed drastically.

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Safiya went through her day as usual. She performed all of her duties quickly and efficiently, and she even avoided Atemu's eyes during the noonday meal. In effect, she made herself invisible. She did nothing wrong and brought no attention to herself. And when night fell, she felt confident that her beating would be light and she could spend a peaceful evening with the Pharaoh. 

When she returned to her room, she was singing softly, looking forward to seeing Atemu again. She sat on her chair, loosened her hair, and was combing through it when Seth came in. He angrily ripped the thin dividing curtain down and threw it to the floor. She spun around just in time to see the back of his hand make contact with her cheek. She fell to the floor, her head whirling. She thought back over the day, recalling nothing that would upset him this much. Panic began to set in. Never before had she seen him this angry, not even when she had talked back to him.

He walked over to her and grabbed her throat. Lifting her from the floor, he dragged her, struggling, to his bed. When he finally threw her down on the bed, she drew in a deep breath. Breathing heavily and shivering in fear, she awaited his next move.

Taking a hold of his whip, he spoke harshly. "I should just kill you now." He traced the outline of her face with his whip. "If I didn't enjoy your beauty so much, you would already be dead." He leaned in to kiss her, and she did not put up a fight, but she did not make it easy for him. When he finally pulled away, he searched her eyes. "There is something different about you." He grabbed her jaw and forced her to look at him. He let go of her jaw and back-handed her once again. "You are in love with the Pharaoh!" Overwhelmed by extreme hatred, she lost control and spat in his face.

He slowly and deliberately stood back and wiped the spit from his face. He then leaned into her ear, his hot breath burning her neck. "You will regret that before this night is over."

He grabbed her arm and threw her down onto the floor. She quickly turned her thoughts to Atemu, the one who could and would save her. Seth proceeded to whip her back and legs with a vehement rage, and when she thought he was finishing, he grabbed her arm, rolled her over and began to whip her stomach, chest and face. For the first time she was forced to watch Seth as he beat her. She watched as the whip cracked down over her body, splitting her skin. When he seemed to be loosing interest, she looked up into his eyes. He met her gaze and his hatred was rekindled anew. With one ferocious crack of the whip, he caught her across her open left eye. For the first time in all of his beatings, she screamed out in pain. She instinctively closed her eyes and her hands instantly flew to her face. But before she could reach her wounded eye, he had dropped his whip and grabbed her wrists. "Look at me," he ordered.

"No," she sobbed.

"Look at me now or I will kill you!" She slowly turned her head towards his voice and opened her eyes. She cried out again when she realized that she could no longer see out of her left eye. "What's wrong, dear Safiya? Can you not see?" He laughed, spit on her, and left her to bleed to death on his floor.

As soon as he left the room, she forced herself to stand. She was losing blood quickly, and if she didn't reach Atemu soon, she would never see him or anyone else again.


	7. Scarred

A/N I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, I'm just playing with it. The only character here who belongs to me is Safiya.

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With one hand, she covered her left eye, and with the other hand, she braced herself against the wall. She hoped that the guards were either away or asleep, because she would never be able to sneak into Atemu's room in her condition. When she neared his room, she was thankful to find that the guards were checking the grounds and were not present.

As soon as she entered the Pharaoh's room, she fell against the wall, her long white hair, matted to the blood staining her face. Unable to see her, Atemu brightened his torch and rose to greet her.

Between gasping breaths she asked, "My Lord, what did you say to him?"

When he saw her condition, he ran to her side. He caught her just as she collapsed to the floor. "I said nothing—" But no sooner had the words left his lips, than the offending incident surfaced in his mind. When he had finished dining with Seth earlier that day, he had offhandedly commented on Safiya's beauty as she removed their dishes. "Safiya, I am so sorry." The last words she heard before she succumbed to blissful unconsciousness were, "I will make it all right tomorrow."

Glad that she was no longer in pain, but afraid for her life, Atemu carried Safiya over to his bed and gently set her down. When he pulled his hands away, they were covered with her blood. Before he had time to think, he found himself shouting, "Someone retrieve the caretaker now!"

Within minutes, Atemu's personal caretaker arrived with his instruments and bandages. When he saw the bloodied woman on the Pharaoh's bed, he immediately rushed to her. The two men worked together to quickly bandage the worst of her wounds.

When they had managed to slow the bleeding, Atemu was finally able to take a step back and catch his breath. Safiya has lost a large volume of blood, but it seemed as though she would live. While his caretaker finished up with some lesser wounds, the young pharaoh moved to stand beside the unconscious woman. He gently pulled the bloodied hair away from her face to reveal the worst injury of them all. He gasped at the sight of her left eye. While her right eye was stained with tears of agony, her left eye was stained with tears of blood and there was a large red gash stretching from her eyebrow to the middle of her cheek, with a gap over her eyelid.

The caretaker, noticing the wound on her eye, moved to the Pharaoh's side. He carefully opened the eyelid to reveal nothing but blood. Atemu closed his eyes and shuddered, the image burned into his mind's eye. The caretaker reached for a bowl of water and gently rinsed the blood away from Safiya's eye. What he saw caused him to sigh visibly, his shoulders dropping. The gap between the gash on her eyebrow and the gash on her cheek was filled by a similar gash on the eye itself. "My Lord, we may have managed to save her life, but there is no way for me to save her sight. The eye is too far damaged. I'm sorry, but she will never see out of that eye again."

Atemu's knees weakened and he dropped to the floor. While he knelt there in a daze, the caretaker bandaged the wounded eye, then deftly exchanged the bloodied bed coverings with fresh ones while Safiya was lying there. He then placed a gentle hand on the Pharaoh's shoulder, and left the room, having done all he could. Atemu remained in that position for an hour, not seeing or hearing anything but the irregular rising and falling of Safiya's chest as she breathed. Finally, he rose, and moved to kneel beside the bed. "Safiya, I can't express how sorry I am. You could have been killed tonight, and it would have been my fault. I may never forgive myself for this."

"You may never forgive yourself, my Atemu, but I already have." He did not expect her to awaken until morning, and her weak voice startled him. He looked up at her, tears falling freely from his eyes. She weakly raised a hand to his face to dry his tears. He clasped her hand within his and kissed it softly.

Not wanting to worry her, he simply said, "You need to sleep, my love. You need to regain your strength." He then moved to sleep on the floor, but before he could go far, she weakly grabbed his hand.

"Please don't leave me," she whispered. "Stay here beside me."

Fresh tears welled up in his eyes and he gently lay down beside Safiya.


	8. Announcement

A/N Blah blah blah I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh blah blah blah so on and so forth

To my reviewers: Thanks you guys. You're all great. :sheds tear: I love you all, you're beautiful.

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When Atemu awoke, Safiya was sleeping soundly. Knowing that she needed to sleep, he carefully rose from the bed, doing his best not to disturb her. He then put on his best robes and prepared for a big day. 

As soon as he left his room, he encountered his guards. "Make sure that no one enters my room," he ordered.

"Yes, Pharaoh," the two answered simultaneously.

Atemu continued on down the hallway until he happened upon Seth. Seething hatred welled up in his soul, and he was about to say something until he remembered Safiya and his promise to her. He put on the best smile he could and greeted the priest. "Good morning, Seth. I trust all goes well?"

"No, actually, it does not." Atemu watched as a look of concern crossed Seth's face. "Safiya disappeared last night and I don't know where she could be."

Atemu bit his tongue. "I'm sure she will return sooner or later."

"I hope so. I don't know what I would do without her."

Images of Safiya's wounds conflicted so heavily with the concern in Seth's voice that Atemu literally choked on what would have been his response. He leaned against the wall for support, unsure of how to react to Seth's change of character.

"Atemu, are you okay?" He placed a hand on the Pharaoh's shoulder, in a gesture of concern.

Atemu brushed the hand aside and inhaled deeply, gaining his composure. "I'm fine, Seth. I'm fine."

Silence settled over the pair as they continued walking. Atemu thought of nothing more than Safiya and what Seth had done to her. Finally, he made up his mind. He was going to go against Safiya's wishes and take action, although probably not the action she expected. "I want you to know Seth that I have finally chosen a wife."

A grin spread across the priest's face. "It's about time. I thought you would have folded under the pressure long before now. It is not right for a pharaoh to rule without a queen by his side. May I ask who it is?"

Fear and concern flashed across Atemu's eyes, and were gone in an instant. "You may ask, but I will not tell. You will find out with the rest of my people." And with that, he quickened his pace and left Seth behind.

Atemu went on to find his council of advisors, seated around their gathering table just as they were every morning. He quickly took his seat at the head position and addressed his council. "I need you to gather the people. I have a very important announcement to make today."

One council member shyly raised his hand to speak. Atemu acknowledged him with a nod of his head. "Excuse me, Pharaoh, but may I inquire as to what this urgent announcement is?"

A broad smile spread across the Pharaoh's face. "I have chosen a wife." And with one swift motion, he rose from his seat and left the council members whispering excitedly to each other.

Atemu took his time in making his rounds. He informed everyone within the palace gates that he had chosen a wife, servants and royals alike. After a few hours, one of the council members approached him, bowing humbly. "Pharaoh, the people have gathered. It is time for your announcement." The Pharaoh smiled and followed the older man to the highest balcony of the palace.

When Atemu arrived, he found Seth waiting for him. Wherever the Pharaoh went, the High Priest was sure to be close by. Atemu neared the edge of the balcony and gazed upon the large crowd that had gathered to hear his news. When the people saw him, a large cheer erupted. Atemu laughed and raised his hands to motion for silence. After a few minutes, the crowd finally quieted.

"My people," he shouted in a strong, authoritative voice. "I have come before you to inform you that I have finally chosen a wife!" The crowd again erupted into cheering. Atemu raised his hands, motioning to the people that he had more to say. They quickly quieted. "I will bring her before you in five days time, when we will be wed." Laughing, he added, "And do not try to force information from those in the palace, for no one knows who I have chosen for my wife." With that, he turned and reentered the palace, leaving the people to talk amongst themselves.

Seth followed close behind him. "But Atemu," he whispered. "Why can't you tell me who you have chosen? If I'm not mistaken, I am still your closest friend."

Atemu could see the hurt look on Seth's face, and sighed. "You must wait with the rest, Seth. Be patient. I am telling no one; it's not meant to be an insult to you. Oh, and could you please inform the inhabitants of the palace that I will remain in my room for the next five days and am not to be disturbed? If anything arises, I trust you to deal with it as you see fit." Seth may have been a monster in disguise, but he was still trustworthy when it came to matters of politics. "You will be the only one that I will allow to see me, but do not consult me unless it is absolutely necessary." He stopped walking and turned to look Seth directly in the eyes. "I am not to be bothered with trifles, do you understand?"

The Priest stopped short, the Pharaoh blocking his path. "I understand, Pharaoh." Seth bowed his head and turned away to spread the news throughout the palace.


	9. The Pain is Gone

A/N I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, etc., etc., etc.

Chika of the high Mts: I don't have anything against Seto Kaiba, but I needed an antagonist in my story, so I chose the High Priest Seth Keep in mind that they are two separate beings, although they may be connected. In the second and third parts of this story, Seto Kaiba is his own character, and an all-around good guy... Well, as good as can be expected. But you're going to have to wait for me to get to that point in my posting. Oh, and the next few chapters will be longer.

Josephine Jekyl: Thank you for your awesome reviews. They make me smile. And since I liked your idea of a flashback so much, I havedecided to plugonein... but I think it's in the next chapter. Just be patient. I'm glad you're reading my story, by the way,and please take note that I have heeded your orders. Without further adieu, here is your update.

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When he was sure that Seth was gone, Atemu turned and ran toward his room. He passed servants and council members who simply moved out of his way, knowing better than to question the Pharaoh's actions. As Atemu ran, tears formed in his eyes. His mind was racing with all of the happenings of the past few days. So much was plaguing him, and the only one who could listen was suffering pain on his account.

He slowed when he finally approached his door, and the guards stationed at the door turned to greet him. The taller of the two guards spoke first. "No one has entered your room, Pharaoh."

"Thank you," he answered, breathing heavily. "I informed the High Priest Seth to spread the word that I am not to be disturbed for the next five days. The only one who you will allow to enter this room is the High Priest himself."

"We understand, Pharaoh," replied the shorter guard.

Atemu entered his room and sat heavily on the corner of his bed, putting his head in his hands. Safiya was still sleeping, but he needed to speak his mind. "Saph, I'm so confused. My love for you and my trust in Seth are waging war in my mind. I have always trusted Seth with my life, and he has always been a true friend to me. But when I look at you and see what he is capable of, that trust begins to waiver." Safiya shifted beneath the bed sheets.

"My Atemu," her voice was soft and full of understanding. "You must not be angry with Seth. It is because of him that we are together."

When he turned to look at her, he found her cheeks to be stained with tears. He felt his own tears falling and he moved to lie beside her. "How can you be so forgiving? He nearly killed you, and yet you thank him."

She turned so that she could see him with her good eye. "Atemu, when life deals you unfavorable cards, you must play them to the best of your ability and hope to win the game. I never lost that hope, and I never will."

The two remained together in a comfortable silence for quite some time, Atemu deep in thought. Finally, he broke the silence. "Does it hurt Safiya?"

"Physically, yes. But emotionally, no. When you are here with me, my heart no longer aches." She looked deep into his eyes and found an unasked question there. "What are you thinking, my Atemu?"

He hesitated in answering, fiddling with his hands. "Safiya, if you'll have me, I would like you to be my wife."

"I would like nothing more." She reached out and placed her hand in his, smiling.

"It's good to see you smiling again. And," he added sheepishly, "it's a good thing you said yes, because I have already informed all of Egypt that I have chosen a wife." She stiffened. "What's wrong?"

"All of Egypt? If I marry you, that means that I am to be queen… I don't know if I am capable of handling that much responsibility."

He moved closer to her, and stroked her hair as he calmed her spirit. "Saph, ever since I first laid eyes on you, I knew you were different. You defend those in need of defense. You care for those in need of aid. And you remain strong for those who are weak. All of these are qualities that make a good ruler. You may play the part of a servant, but you have the heart of a queen."

Knowing that he loved her and had only the best in mind for her, she acquiesced. "So, when you told all of Egypt that we are to be wed, did you give them a date for the ceremony?"

He stopped stroking her hair and dropped his hands to his lap, fiddling with them again. His face turned a light shade of red as he answered somewhat ashamedly, "Five days from today?"

She laughed. "If only your people could see you now, hiding your embarrassment in the shadows."

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "That is why I do not usually allow people into my private quarters, Saph." His smile broadened, and she couldn't help but laugh.

When the laughter subsided, they settled in next to each other and talked of their future from their upcoming wedding to her potential duties as queen to whether or not he would make a good father, and everything in between.


	10. Talk of Shadows and Nightmares

A/N You know the drill; I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, only Safiya, since she lives in my head.

A/N I had originally wanted to avoid talking about the shadow games and the Shadow Realm, but they are playing a role in the third part of this series, so I figured I should probably work them in here and explain them. If I confuse any of you readersor you feel that it seems out of place, I'm dreadfully sorry. oo

To my reviewers: Thanks for reviewing, you guys are truly great. I just hope you'll forgive me if this chapter seems choppy. I'm going to post the next chapter right away justbecause I'm really not happy with this one. And now that I have tainted this chapter in your minds, please read on and if you feel it in your heart, review and make me feel better.

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As afternoon gave way to evening, their conversation shifted from their future to the shadow games. Safiya had heard of the games, but had never seen one, and she wanted to know more about them. 

"Atemu, I have heard that since you were a young boy you have been a master of the shadow games. Some even go so far as to call you the king of games."

"It's true that I am rather good at the games. But all of the royal officials, the high priests and priestesses included, play the shadow games with a high level of proficiency. That is how we protect our people."

"You protect the people with games?"

"In a sense, yes. We practice with each other, sharpening our skills, preparing for the day when someone brings evil into our land. You see, while most countries and nations fight wars, which are paid for in human lives, we Egyptians play shadow games. When a threat rises up, take for example the Thief King Bakura, I am generally the one to oppose the threat, although more often than not, Seth fights by my side. In the case of Bakura, he and I would play a shadow game with our guardian monsters.

"These games are slightly different than those you would witness in the palace. These games are often played on the outskirts of my realm as Pharaoh and the stakes are very high. In the end, the winner takes all. For lack of better word, I will refer to each opponent as a 'player.' Each player calls out his guardian monster or monsters, and the creatures wage a fierce battle. Once a player's guardians are destroyed, he is left for dead."

"Wait, I don't understand. What do you mean, 'left for dead'?"

"I'll explain it this way. A guardian monster is an extension of a person's soul. Every time the monster is wounded, the player feels it. When all of a person's guardians are defeated, it is believed that that person's soul is taken into the Shadow Realm to wander forever. But in the case of the tomb-robber Bakura, it's a little different." He lowered his tone and furrowed his brows in confusion. "I have defeated him several times, and he always seems to return. It's as though he has the ability to somehow escape the Shadow Realm… But that's another conversation in and of itself."

"I see. And if I am to be queen, I'm guessing that I will need to learn the shadow games, as well?"

"I hadn't thought about that, but yes. As queen, you would fight by my side or in my place if the need arises. I will start training you after we are wed. But enough of the shadows, I find them to be depressing. Let's get back to talking about you and me." A mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes as he leaned towards her, bringing his lips close to hers.

She laughed, and turned her face so his lips fell on her cheek. "You are hopeless. Ra forbid that anything ever happen while you're in one of these moods. You would sooner allow Egypt to fall to ruin than leave my side."

"That's not entirely true," he paused dramatically with a smile tugging at his lips, "because I trust that Seth would save Egypt for me."

She had expected him to deny it, and she couldn't help herself but laugh at his response. She fell backwards onto the bed in fits of laughter, and Atemu soon joined her.

After a few more hours of talking and planning, the two succumbed to sleep. Safiya slept well for the first night in many months, no longer having to worry about Seth's reactions. The warmth of the Pharaoh lying beside her was a constant reminder that she was finally safe.

A few hours into their somewhat peaceful slumber, Atemu awoke and bolted up to a sitting position, sweating heavily.

"Atemu, what is wrong?" His violent motion woke Safiya, who was now very concerned.

He turned his face away from her and held his head in his hand. "I had a nightmare."

She began to massage his back, trying to relieve the tension in his muscles. "Do you want to tell me about it?" She whispered softly.

His body shuddered beneath her touch as he began to recount his vision. "If it had been more fantastic or unbelievable, I might not be in such a state. But what I saw in my mind's eye, I have seen with my own eyes." He turned to look at her. "When you came to me the other night, you were near death. My caretaker and I did the best we could to tend to your wounds, but there was one we neglected."

"My eye?"

"Yes, and when he opened your eye…" He shuddered again. "That vision is forever burned into my mind's eye."

"Would it help to lay those visions to rest if you saw how it is healing?" She quietly offered.

When he made no effort to respond, she rose from the bed and turned her back to him. She removed the bandage from her left eye and gently rinsed her face with water.

She returned to him with her hair fallen over the left side of her face, concealing her eye. "Just remember Atemu that I in no way blame you for what happened. I love you and nothing can come between us as far as I am concerned." Knowing that he needed to deal with his emotional pain on his own, she waited patiently, wanting him to make the first move.

When he didn't move for some time, she reached out and delicately took hold of his hand. She then lifted it to her face and guided him in moving the hair away from her eye.

What he saw was vastly different than what he remembered. Over the course of one day, the whole eye had glazed over and had become a blue color that matched her right eye. The gash across the center of her left eye was a cloudy shade of white and stood out against the eye's now glassy texture. Before he knew it, he was staring, amazed at the change. He found himself mesmerized by the strange beauty of the healed eye.

"Atemu, what do you see?"

Her voice startled him. "Not what I remember." He removed his hand, letting her hair fall down to cover the eye once again. He kissed her softly on the lips and then lay down and quickly drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

"Sleep well, my Atemu."


	11. Queen Safiya

A/N I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, I just manipulate it. 

A/N I hope I'm not to ambitious when I thank you (the reader) for reading on past that last chapter. Thanks for sticking with me. And now, for the chapter you've all been waiting for...

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The next four days went by too quickly for Atemu and Safiya and their wedding ceremony was upon them before they knew it. According to tradition, the two separated with the rising of the sun on their wedding day and were not permitted to see each other until the ceremony began at noon.

Safiya went to one corner of the palace where the girls she had befriended when she was a servant dressed her in beautiful white robes, decorated her hair, and applied her ceremonial make-up. Her one desire was that they allow her hair to cover her left eye, and they did so, still making her the epitome of elegance. While they worked, the women wanted nothing more than to hear about the Pharaoh and how sweet he was. So, with a broad smile on her face, Safiya told them of his gentle touch and magic with words.

While Safiya was preparing for the ceremony in one corner of the palace, Atemu was preparing for the ceremony in the opposite corner, where his servants dressed him in fine white robes to match Safiya's, and applied his ceremonial make-up. One servant even polished the Millennium Puzzle that was ever-present around his neck. Atemu had never before been so nervous in his life and he began to pace, frustrating the servants as they tried to make him look his best. Finally, one servant couldn't take it anymore. "Excuse me for speaking out Pharaoh, but unless you relax, there is nothing more we can do for you."

He looked down and saw the disarray that he was in and laughed nervously. "Alright, I'll calm down." He stopped pacing, took a deep breath and tried to relax. "But what if something goes wrong?" He suddenly tensed up again and resumed pacing.

The servant laughed quietly. "Nothing will go wrong, my Lord. Everything will go smoothly and beautifully." Atemu finally quieted down and the servants were able to finish.

When all of the preparations were complete and the ceremony was about to begin, Atemu made his way to the large gathering hall in which they were to be wed. With Seth at his side, he waited by the altar for his bride to join him, as was the custom. In Atemu's mind, the moments dragged on until Safiya finally appeared, and when she did, he felt his heart skip a beat. She was more beautiful than he had ever imagined. Her white hair was decorated with colorful flowers and feathers native to the land, and her robes gracefully accentuated her trim figure. He also noticed that not a single scar was visible upon her body, a feat that was hard to accomplish. Even the scar on her eye was covered by her hair. She was starting with a clean slate, putting her scars in the past.

Seth did not recognize her and whispered to Atemu, "She's beautiful. What is her name?"

Atemu shook himself out of his reverie. Knowing how Seth would react, and not wanting to ruin the ceremony, Atemu had chosen to withhold her name until they were officially wed. "Her name is unimportant. It is her heart that matters." The High Priest was taken aback that his friend would withhold the name of his betrothed, and it showed upon his face. But Atemu refused to say another word.

The ceremony was a quiet one, open only to those who lived within the palace grounds. It was also a quick ceremony, lasting not more than an hour. As it drew to a close, Atemu took Safiya's left hand and placed a ring with the seal of the Millennium Eye on her finger.

"As long as you wear this Millennium Band and I wear the Millennium Puzzle, we will never be far from each other. Our souls will be connected."

She threw her arms around him and pulled him in for a long and passionate kiss. The act caught him off-guard and they almost tumbled to the ground. But he quickly regained his composure and kissed her back, just as passionately.

"Thank you, my Atemu. Thank you," she whispered.

A few moments later, the ceremony ended and Atemu and Safiya were officially wed. Shortly thereafter, the two quickly made their way to the highest balcony of the palace, hand in hand. They found the people already gathered and eagerly waiting to meet their queen. A cheer erupted as soon as the Pharaoh and his new wife stepped into the sun. Safiya smiled and bowed her head humbly to acknowledge their praise.

Atemu raised his hands for silence and was forced to wait for a few minutes before the crowd finally quieted down. "My people," he shouted in his trademark deep, authoritative voice, "I bring before you now, your new queen." But before he could say her name, the people began to roar their approval. Atemu laughed, raising his hands in a vain attempt to quiet the people once more. When he finally received a degree of quiet, he shouted, still laughing, "You don't yet know her name, and yet you still applaud her. That is a true Egyptian welcome. I'd like to present to you, my fellow Egyptians, your Queen Safiya."

Seth, who had had followed them at a distance, arrived just as Atemu announced the queen's name. "Safiya! Atemu, what is the meaning of this!"

Atemu heard Seth's trembling voice and excused himself from Safiya's side and the crowd's attention to address him. "I would have told you sooner Seth, but I feared that your jealousy would ruin this day and destroy that which Safiya has tried so hard to maintain: your relationship with me." He placed his arms on the taller man's broad shoulders and looked deep into his icy blue eyes. "Listen to me Seth, I am willing to forgive you for the wrongs that you have bestowed upon Safiya, but you must let her go. She no longer serves you, she is with me. She has made her choice."

"But… Sh-she was mine," he stuttered.

"She was never yours, Seth. She had every opportunity to leave you, and I even offered to intervene, yet she chose to remain your servant. Why she chose that, I will never know. And aside from that, the Safiya of your childhood is dead. You killed her every day by your own hand. This is a new Safiya, with a new life, and I love her dearly."

Tears welled up within Seth's eyes as he listened to Atemu's words. Memories of the days of his youth flashed before his mind's eye, memories of times long gone…

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A/N Sorry about the evil cliffie, guys. I will update soon, I promise. 


	12. Flashback

A/N I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, blah blah blah...

Josephine Jekyl: That's why I didn't really want to introduce the shadow games in my story, because I don't know all of the details, and whenever I write, I do my best to remain consistent and true to facts. I've only seen a few of the Japanese episodes, and therefore only have a limited knowledge of what actually happened in the show.I appreciate your clarification, but for the purposes of my story, I'm going to have to resort to fudging details, as much as it pains me. I hope you don't mind. And I whole-heartedly agree, the Japanese version is by far the better version. Oh, and I was thinking of sketching out Safiya's eyes. If I ever get around to it, I'll let you know.

To all of my reviewers/readers: I hope you enjoy this chapter, it was fun to write. And thank you again for all your awesome reviews.

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_"Seth! Seth! Look what I found!" A fourteen-year-old Safiya ran up to a fifteen-year-old Seth cradling something in her hands._

_He laughed, knowing that whatever was in her hands was something ordinary. She found beauty in the simplest things. "What did you found today, Safiya?"_

_She beamed a toothy smile at him, as she opened her hands. He looked down and found a small snake curled up in her palms, sleeping. As he stared at the small creature, it was startled from its slumber and bit Safiya's hand in its frightened state._

_"Ouch!" She cried, dropping the snake to the ground._

_"Here, let me see it." Seth watched the snake slither away then took her hand and inspected the wound. A small line of crimson blood was creeping across her palm. "Well, the snake was not poisonous, so you're going to live, but we should probably get a bandage on this just in case." He looked up from her palm to see that she was biting her lip and fighting back tears. "Does it hurt badly?"_

_"No," she choked. "It doesn't hurt at all."_

_He smiled. "You know Safiya, it's okay if you cry." Mischief twinkled in his eyes. "In fact, if you cry, that means I get to be your rescuer and carry you to safety."_

_She smiled her beautifully genuine smile, laughing softly. "How about this," she said wiping her eyes. "I don't cry, and you still carry me to safety."_

_"Sounds good to me," he replied, placing one arm under her knees and the other behind her back. She threw her unwounded arm around his neck as he lifted her off her feet._

_"You know what Seth?"_

_"What?"_

_"You're my best friend."_

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_A seventeen-year-old High Priest Seth lay on his back on the garden floor, breathing in the intoxicating aromas of the exotic flowers. He had his hands folded beneath his head and was staring up into the night sky, a full moon penetrating the darkness. Despite his soothing surroundings, there were tears in his eyes. He had only been a high priest for a year, and was struggling with the obligations and responsibilities. _

_"Excuse me High Priest Seth, I don't mean to interrupt, but I've been looking for you."_

_If it had been anyone else, he would have quickly dried his eyes and composed himself. But he rcognized the voice of the now sixteen-year-old Safiya, and he welcomed it. "Please don't call me that, Safiya. I hear that title everywhere I go. I don't need to hear it from you, as well."_

_"I'm sorry Seth. It's just hard to adjust to you being a high priest and all. I never know what to call you." She gathered up her skirt and lay beside him, her head on his chest. After a moment, she voiced what was on her mind. "It's not right for you to be held accountable for so much at this age."_

_"I know Safiya, but every time I think that, I remind myself of Atemu. He is my age and rules the nation of __Egypt__." He paused, thinking of his friend. "I do everything in my power to lessen his burden, but sometimes, it's even too much for me."_

_She inhaled deeply, as did he. "I have an idea." She stood up and took his hand, pulling him to a standing position. "Come with me."_

_"Where are you taking me?"_

_"I'm not telling you. It's a surprise."_

_She led him through the palace and into the servants' quarters. She took him through a door in the back of the quarters and out into a second garden, much cleaner and much more beautiful than the first._

_"Safiya, what is this? I didn't know the palace had a second garden."_

_"Technically, it doesn't. This is my own personal garden. A few years ago, I took some seeds from the palace garden and planted them here. I've tended it ever since, and I'm very proud of it. While the palace officials have their own garden, I allow the servants to use this one. As you can see, the servants respect this garden a bit more than you official types respect the royal garden. That's why this one looks so much nicer. But there's more. This is not what I wanted to show you." She led him around the various flowers toward the rear of the garden. _

_"Is that water I hear?"_

_"Be patient." She approached a tall hedge and fell to her knees before it. Taking Seth's hand, she crawled underneath the hedge and out the other side._

_Seth crawled behind her, and once on the other side, he stood and looked around. The light of the full moon illuminated a small waterfall which fed a tranquil pool. The pool was surrounded by the sweetest smelling and most beautiful flowers he had ever encountered. "By Ra," he whispered reverently. "What is this place?" _

_"This is the sacred heart of my garden. I come here to escape the pressures of life. The other servants choose not to enter out of respect for me." She lowered her voice and continued in a soft whisper. "You are the only other person who has ever been in here."_

_The action meant so much to him that he had not known how else to react. He placed his arms around her waist and leaned in to kiss her. But before he could touch his lips to hers, she turned her head and his lips fell on her cheek. He released his hold and stepped back, apologizing._

_"I'm sorry, Safiya. I don't know what came over me."_

_"It's okay Seth."_

_"I just wanted to thank you for allowing me into your heart." An awkward silence settled over the two until he realized what he had said. "I mean the heart of your garden. Your garden's sacred heart, that's what I meant."_

_"Seth, you're blushing." There was no condemnation in her words; she was simply making an observation._

_He sighed in defeat and instantly his nervousness evaporated. "For some time now, I've had feelings for you Safiya. Aside from Atemu, you are the closest friend I have in this world." He hesitated, but only for a moment. "I guess what I'm trying to say Safiya, is that I love you."_

_She stiffened as realization hit her. He had just professed his love to her. She had known of his feelings for a few months, but she hadn't wanted their relationship to change or become awkward, so she had avoided the subject. But here it was, in the open, and she had no choice but to respond. "You know that I love you, too. But my love is that of family. Please Seth, understand what I'm trying to say. I love you like I do my older brother, but I don't have romantic feelings for you. Please, I don't want things to change between us. You will always be my closest friend," she hesitated, not wanting to break his heart but knowing it had to be said, "but nothing more."_

_Her words shocked him, and every muscle in his body went rigid. For a few moments, the two stood in silence, until Seth relaxed and said in a low voice, "I know you have feelings for me, too. I see it in the way you look at me, the way you talk to me, the way you act around me. Don't fight it Safiya. Give yourself some time and you'll see it, too." He turned and crawled under the hedge, leaving her alone with her thoughts._


	13. Threatened

A/N I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. The only character here who is mine would be Safiya.

A/N I'd just like to clarify something about Safiya's and Seth's childhood relationship. Remember that Safiya left her home as a girl of twelve, and wasn't able to see her family again. In a sense, Seth became the only family that she had. He became her older brother/best friend/protecter/all of the above. She never meant to lead him on, it's just that she was reallyclose to him and very comfortable around him. His love for her blinded him and that's when things went downhill, as you know.

Raquel: When you said you were "in a maze" regarding the flashback, I hope you meant "amazed" and not "confused." Because if you are indeed confused, I will gladly clarify.

Josephine Jekyl: I just wanted to let you know that my second A/N was a clarification I felt necessary because of your review. Thank you for making that observation. And I wanted to let you know that I am seriously considering buying at least a few of the dubbed Yu-Gi-Oh episodes on DVD.

B.E.W.DWarriorPrincess: If things start to get too complex, let me know and I'll do my best to explain things better. I'm glad that you're still with me thus far.

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With the flood of memories came the reminder of her persistent denial. Seth shook the recollections from his mind, returning to the present. In his warped point of view, all he had over done was love her, and in return, she had refused him for none other than his best friend. He straightened, regained his composure and threw Atemu's hands off his shoulders. "And I thought you were my friend." Without warning, he lunged at the Pharaoh's neck, and the two tumbled to the ground.

Safiya heard the commotion and came to see what was happening. She found Seth straddling Atemu, grabbing his throat. Atemu was pinned to the ground, struggling to breathe while trying to dislodge Seth's firm grip.

All of the fear, hatred, and pain that she had suppressed over the years rushed to the surface when she was confronted with the image of Seth straddling Atemu. "Guards! Seize him!" Safiya's voice rang strong and true throughout the palace halls as guards came running from every direction. They easily removed the priest and held him immobile. Atemu remained on the ground, massaging his throat and trying to regain his composure. Safiya quietly offered her hand to him and helped him to his feet.

"Thank you Safiya. I see you are adjusting well to life as Queen," he said, clearing his throat. He then turned his fiery crimson eyes to the offending priest. "You leave me no choice Seth. I hereby banish you from the palace grounds forever. The instant you return, you will be killed." Safiya gently placed her hand on Atemu's arm, and his demeanor softened. "But, since I have pity for you, I will allow you to remain in Egypt, if you so choose."

Atemu and Safiya watched with mixed emotions as Seth was escorted to the palace gates. But before he passed through the gates, he made a promise to the Pharaoh and Queen. "Hear me now, both of you! I will not rest until I have my revenge!"

Safiya knew in her heart that he would deliver on his threat, one way or another. She turned into Atemu, finding comfort in his protective embrace.

"He's out of our lives, Saph."

"For now, my Atemu, but you and I both know that he will be back one day."

He held her tighter. "But we cannot live in fear of that day. We must live every day, looking forward to the next. If we let him steal our happiness, he will have won a premature victory, and we can't allow that."

"I'd rather he not have a victory at all."

"I agree, my love. I agree."

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Within a few weeks, life in the palace had settled down. The excitement over the Pharaoh's marriage had faded somewhat, and a new high priest had been appointed. Everyone had returned to their daily routines, except for Safiya who now had to learn an entirely new routine. She had remained by Atemu's side for the first few days, learning that which was required of her; but she quickly adjusted to her new role as queen and began to venture away from him, becoming more confident in her duties and obligations. 

One of the first things Atemu did, aside from teaching Safiya the role of queen, was to introduce her to the shadow games. Every night, when they had retired to their chambers, he would explain to her the rules and strategies of the games, sometimes giving her small demonstrations. He would often ask her questions, or propose situations to her and gauge her response. He even played hypothetical shadow games with her, showing her how he had come to be known as the King of Games. Within a month, she began to truly understand the games and their intricacies.

When he felt she was ready, he began to challenge her to mock games, which were played with small models of the various guardians. Atemu had his own personal guardians, but he chose to play with the models of the others so that Safiya could learn how to react in different situations. This way, she would get used to each guardian's strengths and weaknesses and become able to control or defeat any of them. She had yet to receive her own guardian, but Atemu felt that she needed to acquire a certain skill level before she could, and the mock games were one way to do so.

Since she was very competitive, she never allowed him to go easy on her, and because of this, she learned the games quickly and was even able to defeat the very King of Games himself once or twice. He went on to justify these losses by pointing out that he was not using his own guardians, and they were not playing real shadow games. Nevertheless, he had congratulated her and had allowed her to hold the victories over him for a few days.


	14. Meeting Mahado

A/N You know the drill... I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or anything related to it.

* * *

After nearly a year had passed since their marriage, Safiya had become a proficient player, able to play against Atemu competitively. It wasn't until this point that Atemu felt that she was finally ready, and he arranged to take her to see his close friend, the High Priest Mahado. Safiya had met the priest before, but had never spent much time with him or been to his home. As they walked toward Mahado's residence, Atemu explained what he had planned.

"Safiya, you have been playing the shadow games for almost a year now, and I have never seen anyone learn so quickly as you."

"Thank you Atemu," she beamed.

"I think it's finally time for you to receive your guardian monster."

She slowed her pace. "You really think so?"

He stopped walking and stood beside her. "You have proven that you are a master of the shadow games. With these skills come great power and great risks. This includes having to protect the innocents from those who would use the powers of the Shadow Realm to release chaos into our world. All of the priests and priestess have guardians that allow them to protect the people. I have three guardians of my own, and soon you will also have your own guardian. In a sense, a guardian is as a protective…" He paused, looking for the right word. "Pet." He cringed at the use of the word, but it was the only way he felt that he could explain it to her.

Mentally asking his guardians for forgiveness, he continued. "These monsters fight in our places, allowing us to protect the people from any dangers that arise, both tangible and shadow. But there is one thing must remember." He turned to look her in the eye, reinforcing the importance of what he was about to say. "As I've said before, when your guardian fights, any damage it receives, you will receive also. That is why it is important to train and strengthen your guardian every chance you get, as I do when I play the games in the palace." As a side note, he added, "But the palace games are watered-down and played so that no player receives true physical damage."

"I understand." She nodded, allowing the weight of what he said to settle in. A few moments later, she asked, "But what if my guardian monster doesn't want me?"

His countenance lightened and he wrapped his arm around her waist. "How could anyone or anything not want you?"

She laughed. "No one would ever believe the high and mighty pharaoh of Egypt is a hopeless romantic."

With his arm still around her waist, he began to walk, guiding her toward their destination. "The only one who needs to know that I'm a hopeless romantic doesn't seem to have a problem with it." She leaned into his chest, breathing in his intoxicating scent. "And besides," he continued, "you don't necessarily choose it; it's more of an extension of who you are. In a manner of speaking, everyone's soul identifies with a certain guardian. And we're going to find out which guardian you have chosen."

Several minutes later, they arrived at the home of Mahado. It was on the far side of the palace grounds, but still within the gates. Mahado, being a humble man, chose not to live directly within the palace, and Atemu respected that. The Pharaoh let himself into the home, explaining, "He knows we are coming and he wouldn't hear it if I knocked, anyway."

He led her to the back of the humble home to find Mahado leaning over a small workbench, intent on his task. Atemu cleared his throat, alerting Mahado to their presence.

The man turned to face them. "Ah, Atemu, it's good to see you." The priest pulled Atemu into a firm embrace. After he released Atemu, he turned to Safiya. "It's good to see you, too, Queen Safiya. I'm honored to have you in my home." He bowed slightly.

"Please, High Priest Mahado, the pleasure is all mine," she said, returning the bow.

He laughed deeply. "You are truly a woman worthy of your title. And please, call me Mahado."

"Only if you call me Safiya," she said with a smile.

He laughed again. "You are the perfect match for Atemu. You have the aura of royalty, the good humor of a close friend, and the heart of servant." She smiled, and he regained his composure, becoming more serious, before continuing. "Now, Atemu has explained to me that you are ready to receive your guardian."

"Yes, so it would seem."

"Come here, my queen." Mahado motioned to his side.

Atemu nudged Safiya forward, and Mahado placed his hands on her shoulders. He closed his eyes and began to recite an ancient incantation that she could not understand. She recognized the language as an ancient dialect spoken only by the pharaoh, priests, and priestess. She looked to Atemu who had also closed his eyes, listening to the words and understanding them. Unsure of what to do, she remained still, waiting for Mahado to finish.

After some time, he lifted his hands from her shoulders and looked full her in her unscarred eye. A brief wave of confusion crossed his face before he spoke. "The guardian that your soul has identified with is one that I would never have imagined."


	15. Guardian Discovery

A/N I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or anyassociated characters...

Josephine Jekyl: If you're still with me, I wanted to thank you for giving me some details in one of your previous reviews. You'll be pleased to know that I plugged a few in this chapter.

Yugikid: I was encouraged when I saw in your profile that you are a college student. I am a sophmore in college myself. And I am also involved in my school's newspaper. I happen to be the copy editor. And that is where we differ. I pride myself on my grammar, spelling, and punctuation skills. Oh, we also differ in the fact that I'm studying chem, and you're studying graphic comunication. I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

To all readers: Please stick with me. These few chapters are building up to something you won't want to miss. Trust me.

* * *

"Please Mahado, I am unclear as to the process of receiving a guardian. Would you be so kind as to explain it to me?" 

He turned away from her and closed his eyes. "As people gain skills in the games, their souls identify and become most comfortable with specific guardians. In most situations, the guardians chosen are those that the player has controlled in the mock games with the greatest impact on the opponent. But there are occasions when a player's soul will choose a guardian that has never been seen or used in the mock games. This is one of those rare occasions." Standing off to the side, Atemu smiled, expecting nothing less from his wife.

"Please, go on," Safiya urged, curious to know which guardian Mahado had seen for her.

"Yes, Mahado, please continue," Atemu agreed.

"Well, Safiya, you soul has identified with the green eyes gray dragon."

"I've never heard of that monster before. Atemu, have you?" She turned to look at Atemu, only to find his eyes wide with shock. "Atemu?"

"Y-Yes, I've h-heard of it," he stuttered. He shook his head, trying to regain his composure. "It has been said that the green eyes gray dragon is a ferocious beast, with a lust for destruction. But I've never faced anyone with the capacity to control it, and I had come to believe that as a guardian, it was just a legend. Mahado, are you sure?"

"I am just as surprised as you are, Atemu. But I am positive."

"Excuse me gentlemen, would you care to explain the meaning of all of this?" Safiya was thoroughly confused at this point.

As Atemu prepared to explain, Mahado turned away from them and returned to his workbench, placing the finishing touches on his previous project.

"Saph," Atemu began, "as I mentioned before, the green eyes gray dragon is a creature many believe to exist only in legends. Its intense ferocity is matched only by its extreme loyalty. This monster will go to great lengths to ensure the well-being of the one who is capable of controlling it."

"But what if I can't control it? Then what?"

"That has never before been an issue with players and their guardians." He placed a hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture. "If your soul has identified with the green eyes gray dragon, then you need not worry." They remained that way in silence for a few moments, contemplating the weight of Mahado's discovery.

The silence was finally broken when Mahado exhaled loudly, saying, "It is finished." He turned toward them with a golden forearm band in his hands. "Safiya, this is yours. It is called a dia diank and it houses the embodiment of your guardian. Wear it at all times and you will be safe from harm. Now, give me your right arm." She held out her arm and he closed the band around her forearm, locking it shut. "Whenever you are in danger, all you need do is call upon your guardian and he will protect you. But until you call upon it, it will remain in this dia diank."

"Thank you, Mahado." She examined the intricate designs on the band, then turning to Atemu, she eagerly asked, "Can I test it?"

As pharaoh, Atemu wanted to see the dragon before allowing it to come before the whole of Egypt. "If we do test it, we should take it far from the eyes of questioning people. I do not need rumors of the green eyes gray dragon spreading throughout Egypt just yet. Mahado, would you care to join us?"

"No, my Pharaoh, I cannot. I have work yet to do. But I thank you for the invitation."

"Alright then Mahado. Until next time." They all bowed to each other, saying their good-byes. Atemu and Safiya then departed from Mahado's home and headed back toward the palace.

When they entered the palace, Atemu took her hand and lead her into the depths of the palace, to a section that she had never seen before. They took passage after passage and the air soon became cold, musty, and stale.

"Atemu, where are we?"

"We're almost there. It's just down this hall." He pointed down the long hall to a tall dark door. "Before the shadow games were practiced openly in the palace, the priests, priestesses, and pharaoh would play in this underground arena. This way, they could sharpen their skills and be better able to protect the nation, and not disturb others while playing. These games were always played in good spirits, but losing is never fun, and even among friends, games can get quite intense." He smirked, remembering games played when he was very young. "Ah, here we are." He placed his hands on the large door and pushed with all of his might. The door creaked and groaned, then opened slowly. When it had opened wide enough, he slipped through and Safiya followed.

She found herself to be in an old, abandoned arena. The air was thick and somewhat hard to breathe, but she managed. The first thing she noticed was that the floor was not made of stone as the halls were. The floor of the arena was soft sand. The second thing she noticed was the extremely high ceiling, as it seemed to disappear into the darkness. She then noticed several seats on the far wall, all facing the center of the arena. In her mind's eye, she could see the pharaoh, priests and priestesses watching the shadow game taking place in the center, learning from the players and their strategies.


	16. Meeting the Guardian

A/N I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh... someone else does.

Yugikid: The green eyes gray dragon doesn't really exist. Ah, the benefits of fanfic. I knew Safiya's guardian was going to be a dragon, and since gray is my favorite color, it was going to have a gray body. It couldn't have red or blue eyes, because those were already taken, so I chose to give it green eyes. And that is how the green eyes gray dragon was born.

AlexaIshtar: I'm glad to hear that you enjoy my story so much.

* * *

Atemu gently took hold of Safiya's arm, causing the image in her mind to fade, andhe led her into the center of the arena. With reverence in his voice he said, "A great battle once took place in this arena, and it was not just a highly competitive game played among friends. As I've mentioned several times, there are those who use the shadow games for evil purposes, and as pharaoh, it is my duty to seek them out and defeat them before they can cause any damage. When my father was pharaoh, he partook in such a shadow game, the winner of which was to become, or remain, ruler of Egypt. Fortunately, my father's guardian was strong, and together they triumphed." He paused, then his voice became quiet. "He was a great man, and he had immeasurable skills in the games. He taught me everything he knew." 

She hesitated before responding. "I never realized that so much could ride on a single shadow game," she said softly.

"Yes, but thankfully, those games are few and far between." His voice regained some cheerfulness as he continued. "And now, let's meet this guardian of yours."

"What do I have to do?"

"Just hold out your dia diank and will your guardian to appear."

"You mean to say that all I have to do is think about it?"

"Yes."

She looked down at the golden plate that covered her forearm. With no more than a thought, the arm band expanded and a golden wing appeared out of the side. There were three parts to the wing, and the first began to glow. She had never before seen a guardian released from a dia diank and wasn't sure what to expect. She hesitated, as a wave of fear and excitement washed over her. Suddenly, a large gust of wind rose out of the arm band. She covered her eyes as the wind whipped around, tugging fiercely at her hair and clothes. She shouted Atemu's name, but no sound could be heard over the roar of the wind.

Without warning, the wind ceased. She slowly dropped her hands to her side and tentatively looked up. She was astonished by what she saw. Before her loomed the green eyes gray dragon.

The majestic beast stood proudly before her, claiming her as its master, and for a moment, she forgot Atemu's mention of its ferocity. It was a beautiful creature with tough gray scales creating an inner protective layer around its body and soft gray feathers creating a deceptively innocent outer layer. Muscular hind legs supported its massive frame, allowing the dragon to move with speed and agility when the need arose. A long tail weaved back and forth lazily in the background, sketching elaborate designs in the soft sand. Powerful feathered wings were folded tightly to the creature's side, almost as if they had the power to shield from an impending attack. The dragon's arms were not as well-muscled as its legs, but they were still weapons of destruction, tipped with claws that were shaper than any sword or dagger she had ever seen. The creature's head was supported by a long, muscular neck with short spines down the back.

It lowered its large head so that it was eye-level with Safiya. Just one of its emerald eyes was as big as her face. She reached out to stroke its feathered jaw, and found it gently leaning into her touch. The dragon closed its eyes and began to purr.

"Atemu," she whispered. "Can you hear it?"

Atemu, standing to the side of the creature, was in shock. He still had his doubts regarding the dragon's existence, yet here it was standing before him. He hesitantly reached out to touch it.

As soon as Atemu's hand made contact with the soft feathers on the creature's side, it abruptly stopped purring and snapped its large head in his direction. In one swift move, it threw Atemu to the ground. With one of its powerful hind legs, the dragon held him there, forcing his body into the soft sand. As vicious as the move appeared, the dragon was careful not to pierce Atemu's flesh with its razor-like talons. With every muscle in its body tensed, the dragon turned its head to Safiya, as if to ask her what to do next.


	17. Bonding

A/N Yu-Gi-Oh's not mine... I'm just borrowing som characters and whatnot.

Yugikid: Oh hey, don't apologize for the long review. I rather enjoyed it. And I'm glad you enjoyed my last chapter so much.

Josephine Jekyl: I have to admit, your comment made me laugh. Is it weird that I can't picture Safiya pregnant? I guess not since she's a character that I created. I'm glad you like it so far.

* * *

Safiya had no chance to react. She had seen Atemu reaching out to touch the creature, but he was more experienced with these things than she was. She had not expected the beast to react so violently. She looked into the dragon's large eyes, sensing its need to protect her. Reaching her hand out to touch its nose, she laughed softly. 

"I shall call you Asim, for you are my protector." At the sound of her voice, the creature visibly relaxed.

Atemu, still trapped under the intense weight of the creature's hind leg, struggled to free himself. Finally, he could take it no longer and whispered hoarsely, "I hate to spoil the moment, but can you, uh, please call your dragon off?"

Safiya laughed softly, seeing Atemu's plight. "Asim, this man is my husband." The dragon seemed to understand her, for it shifted its weight off the Pharaoh, releasing him. She began to stroke its nose as she continued. "He means you and me no harm. He is an extension of myself, and if you feel that he is in danger, you will protect him as you would protect me." The dragon lowered its head, nodding its consent.

Atemu rose from the sand, breathing hard. When he finally caught his breath, he came to stand beside Safiya. "Your guardian is very protective." As he spoke, the creature brought one large jade eye to within inches of his face, eyeing him menacingly. It then turned its head and began to sniff the Pharaoh. "Safiya? What exactly is your dragon doing?" He whispered nervously, making sure not to move a muscle.

She chuckled softly. "I think he's just getting to know you." With one final sniff, the creature exhaled forcefully, nearly knocking Atemu to the ground again.

Realizing that he had been holding his breath, Atemu exhaled deeply. "Am I safe now?"

The creature brought its head close to Safiya and gently nuzzled her body with its nose. "I think you're safer now than when we first entered this room, Atemu." With a smile in her eye, she added, "Just don't make Asim angry."

"Easier said than done," he muttered. Stepping back, he looked over the creature. "It's magnificent. I've never seen anything like it before."

Without warning, the great beast lowered itself to the ground, lying down before Safiya. It lifted its head and nudged her legs with its nose.

"I think Asim wants me to get on, what do you think?" She asked, laughing.

"I would agree, but please, be careful. Despite this creature's apparent affection for you, it still has the potential to be extremely dangerous."

As he spoke his words of warning, she moved to the side of the creature's head. "Asim," she whispered into its ear. "If I am to ride you, Atemu will come with me. I will not go alone."

Understanding her words clearly, the creature gently lifted its head over her and looked at Atemu. It then began to nudge him in the same way it had nudged her.

When Safiya climbed onto the dragon's back, it stopped nudging Atemu and turned its attention elsewhere. "They share some deep connection that was formed before either of them were created." Atemu whispered to himself. "And she doesn't ask it anything; she commands it, and the beast obeys her. If I were in her place, that dragon would terrify me. Yet she is without fear. They've only been together for an hour or so, and they are already closer than I am with my guardians, and we've been together for years. It's almost as though a power far greater than even Ra has placed them together for an unknown reason." His thoughts were interrupted by Safiya's shouting.

"Atemu! Are you coming?" He shook himself out of his reverie and walked to the creature's side, slowly climbing onto its back to join Safiya.

When the dragon was sure that both were settled in and secure, it rose to a standing position and stretched its enormous wings. With one powerful thrust of its wings, it rose into the air, slowly beginning its ascent to the ceiling.

"Atemu, where is Asim taking us? Isn't there a ceiling in this room?"

"There is indeed. All we can do is trust that your guardian knows what it is doing."

As they were talking, the dragon turned its head to look at them. Sensing their distress, it made a soft cooing noise to comfort them. It then turned its head back away from them and continued its powerful ascent.

The ceiling quickly came into view and Safiya suddenly became very nervous. She opened her mouth to scream, but the sound caught in her throat. She felt Atemu's strong arms wrap around her, holding her close as she shut her eyes in preparation for the impact.


	18. Over Egypt

A/N You should know the drill by now. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

To my reviewers: Thanks for all of your reviews. And if I haven't mentioned your name specifically, I'm terribly sorry. I do appreciate all of your kind words and I hope I have returned the favor by meeting all of your expectations regarding this story.

* * *

A few tense second passed, but there was no impact. There was only the rushing of wind and the sweet scent of rain and blooming flowers. Safiya opened her eyes to see that they were no longer in the arena, but were soaring high above the palace.

"Oh Atemu, it's beautiful. But how…?"

Atemu squeaked out his response, slowly gaining his bearings. "It seems as though your guardian has the ability to transport itself and others from one location to another."

Safiya wasn't sure that they had actually been transported. She felt that they had simply passed through the ceiling, but she didn't argue. "Can we not think about that now? Let's just enjoy the view."

The dragon lazily flapped its wings, keeping it airborne in the waning sunlight of the late afternoon sky. Dark clouds spread throughout the sky, threatening rain, and the beast gently banked left and right to avoid them. Looking out over the horizon, Safiya watched the sun set over the desert in fiery reds, vivid oranges, and brilliant yellows.

"Atemu, it's amazing. I've never seen Egypt like this."

"Nor have I."

They soared through the skies, taking in the sights until darkness began to settle around them. Finally, realizing that they needed to return to the palace lest the inhabitants begin to worry, Safiya addressed the dragon. "Asim, would you be so kind as to return us to the palace?"

The dragon turned its head toward Safiya and nodded slightly as it banked to the right, setting a course for the palace.

Within half an hour, the dragon approached the palace. Finding the section that housed the old arena, the dragon folded in its wings and dove toward the roof. As the dragon gained speed, Safiya forced herself to keep her eyes open. She watched as the roof rapidly approached and her breath caught in her throat, but she managed to keep her eyes open. And as she had first believed, the dragon did not so much transport them to a whole new location as it did pass directly through the roof and palace interior.

The dragon continued its steep descent until the floor of the arena came into view. It then unfurled its wings and with a single forward flap, stopped short in the air. It extended its hind legs and gingerly landed on the soft sand. Lowering its body to the ground, the dragon allowed Atemu and Safiya to dismount.

Safiya looked deep into one of the dragon's piercing green eyes. "Asim, thank you." She gently massaged the creature's jaw. "You now have my full trust, and I hope I have yours." She leaned in to place a kiss on the soft feathers lining the dragon's cheek. "And as much as I hate to do this, I feel that it is time for you to return."

The dragon nodded its massive head and quickly launched itself into the air. A strong wind rose up as the dragon vanished into Safiya's dia diank. The golden wing on the arm band contracted as the guardian dragon returned to its home.

The two stood in silence for a moment, still absorbing the majesty of the great beast. Finally, Safiya couldn't contain it anymore. "Atemu! Did you just see that? Did we really just do that? That was great!" She ran to Atemu's side and threw her arms around his neck.

"I'm just as amazed as you are, Safiya. The only difference is that that creature does not answer to me. It answers to you."

She stepped back. "You're right." She paused. "So, what do we do now?"

"Well, right now, we should probably go make sure that no one is looking for us. And then we can get some dinner, and after that," he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in close, a seductive grin on his face, "we retire to our quarters."

She reflected the mischief in his eyes. "And what are we going to do once we 'retire to our chambers'?"

He let go of her and stepped back in mock surprise. "I'm shocked that you would even ask me that. We're going to sleep of course. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

She laughed and leaned into him as he returned his arm to her waist. "Why, what's tomorrow?" She asked.

His eyes twinkled. "Tomorrow, your dragon will dominate the shadow games."

"Even over you?"

"I doubt that." A smirk tugged at his lips. "I have three guardians to your one. And my three guardians are the three god monsters. But anyway, I only play true shadow games with those that prove themselves."

She put on the best show of innocence that she could conjure up. "Is the King of Games afraid of a little girl and her dragon?"

Deep laughter filled the arena. "Don't tempt me Saph. It's nothing I have against you. It's a rule that I have set in place to keep just anyone from challenging me."

"And I respect that. But in the end, you are only delaying your own ultimate defeat."

"Maybe I am." He paused, the smirk returning to his lips. "And then again, maybe I'm not. Maybe it is your own defeat that is being delayed."

Laughter filled the arena once again as the two linked arms and headed back into the palace.

But Atemu and Safiya never had the chance to play their shadow game. Fate had other plans in store for them.


	19. Priorities

A/N I don't own anything Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N This chapter is a bit long, but I was having fun, so I just kept going, and I didn't think you guys would mind too much.

B.E.W.Dwarriorprincess: I loved the fact that you apologized for not reviewing sooner. It's okay. I forgive you. (insert smiley here)

(I just realized that all of the smileys and emoticons I've been putting in these author's notes haven't actually been posting. Apparently, fanfic doesn't allow those symbols to be posted. If I've offended anyone, I'm terribly sorry. There was probably a smiley there that didn't post.)

* * *

-

* * *

Just as Atemu had predicted, Safiya and her dragon had dominated the palace shadow games. Every game was fiercely competitive, and some players held out longer than others, but in the end, no one was able to claim victory over Safiya and the green eyes gray dragon. Even Mahado was present, wanting both to test his guardian, the dark magician, and to see the famed green eyes gray dragon. He had waited until everyone else had their chance to play against Safiya, while he observed her strategies and tactics throughout the day. Finally, as darkness settled in and it became late, he had risen up to challenge Safiya to what turned out to be the most competitive game of the day. But none of his observations and counter-tactics had helped him to overcome Safiya and the dragon, and she had defeated him in the end. 

Atemu had watched the games from the sidelines, astonished by the strength of the dragon and the control Safiya had over it. She had never played a true shadow game before, but she was already a master. A smile crossed Atemu's lips when he had heard what the observers were calling her: the Queen of Games.

When she had defeated Mahado, Atemu called for the games to end. She had proven herself over and over again, and it was getting very late at that point. Upon hearing his words, everyone returned their guardians to their dia dianks and congratulated each other. In the palace games, no one left with hard feelings.

"Safiya," Atemu said as he approached his wife, "that was absolutely amazing."

Upon hearing his words of praise, a grin quickly spread across her face, but just as quickly, it vanished. In its place was a look of utter seriousness and determination. "Yes, I suppose it was a good day." She raised her eyes to meet his gaze. "But I can't help feeling that something is missing."

"Well, I suppose you have proven yourself worthy to challenge the King of Games…" He paused, then an idea hit him. A smirk slowly spread across his face. "How much of an ordeal would you like to make out of this game between you and I?"

She answered quickly, before he even finished the question. "As big as we can. I want everyone there to witness your defeat."

"Whoa," he stuttered, raising his hands and stepping back a few paces. She smiled sweetly, and he began to laugh. "Alright, how about this. I was going to make this a surprise, but I knew I wouldn't be able to keep it from you for long. Our first anniversary is coming up and I took it upon myself to organize a celebration fit for a pharaoh," he paused, "and queen."

"Oh, Atemu, that's so sweet."

"I have invited every Egyptian under my rule to attend, and I am expecting quite a turnout. If you want, we can play our game then, before all of Egypt."

She beamed. "I would like nothing better."

He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked deep into her eye. "Who are you and what have you done with my dear, sweet, innocent Safiya?"

She raised her eyebrows. "Um, I don't know?"

His deep laughter echoed throughout the palace. "You are something else, Safiya, and I love you for it."

"Well," she shrugged. "I suppose I love you, too."

"Hey, what is that supposed to mean?" But before he could address the question to her, she had made a mad dash for their sleeping quarters, her laughter floating back to his ears. "Oh, you can run, but you can't hide," he whispered as he took off in pursuit of his wife.

* * *

A few uneventful days passed, and finally, their anniversary was upon them. As usual, Atemu woke with the rising of the sun and he stretched every muscle in his body, cracking several bones in the process. 

"Oh, love, you know how I hate it when you do that," Safiya moaned. Her back was facing him, but she refused to turn over. "First of all, I don't like to be awakened this early. I don't care if you have royal things to tend to; I'm Queen and I can sleep in if I want to. Second of all, I don't deserve to be awakened by the sound of your back cracking in eight places." She rolled over, preparing to glare at him, but he quickly disarmed her early morning irritability. When she made eye contact with him, she couldn't help but smile at the stupidly satisfied grin that enveloped his face.

"Good morning, sunshine," he said cheerily. "Do you know today is?"

She pulled the warm bed coverings up over her head, mumbling, "How can you have this much energy this early in the morning? And no, I don't know what today is, and I don't particularly care right now. Now go about your business and let me sleep."

He sighed and crawled under the bed coverings to lie beside her. He looked at her with what appeared to be genuine hurt in his eyes. "Safiya," he whined. "How could you forget our anniversary?"

"Anniversary!" She threw the covers off and jumped out of bed, her nerves a mess. "What am I going to wear? What am I going to say? What if something goes wrong? What if we run out of food? Or worse," she froze. "What if I lose to you?"

Atemu laughed. "Well, I see where your priorities lie." He moved to her side, gently taking hold of her hands. "Relax. We will find you suitable attire; you can say whatever your heart desires; nothing will go wrong; and if we run out of food, the people will still love you." With the utmost seriousness, he added, "And it's not a matter of 'if' you lose. It's a matter of 'when' you lose."

She punched his arm and turned her back to him, folding her arms across her chest.

When she had turned away, Atemu rubbed his arm, massaging the already bruising skin. "She gets me every time," he muttered under his breath. "You'd think I'd learn by now."

"What was that Atemu?" She asked, turning her head slightly so the she could see him.

"Oh, nothing Saph. I was just thinking about what we should wear today."

"That's my boy," she said, wrapping her arms around him. She gave him a chaste kiss, then hurried off to find appropriate attire for the celebration.

Atemu smiled to himself. "You never cease to amaze me, Saph," he said softly as he headed off after his wife.

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Yugikid: Apparently fate has been put on hold for this chapter. It looks like you're going to have to keep pondering until the next update. (insert angelic smile with a tarnished halo here) 


	20. Preparation

A/N Yu-Gi-Oh doesn't belong to me...

A/N I'm sorry that this chapter took me so long to post. I've been under quite a bit of pressure lately between home and school, and things keep going downhill. But me being the duck that I am, it rolls of my back quickly, and I'm soon back on my feet, fixing problems and making the best of a bad situation. Oh, there's also the fact that I couldn't post this chapter until I was truly happy with it.

Yugikid: I also really like the way that they turned out as a couple. It's almost as if their relationship has had a mind of its own when it came to writing this story.

Josephine Jekyl: Oh, what movie is that from? I can see the scene in my head, I can see the character, hear his voice... Oh wait, I got it: George of the Jungle.Ha. You don't need to tell me the movie title anymore. Oh, and the dark magician/Mahado thing? I actually knew that. I've seen the Japanese episode where that took place. (Albeit in Japanese with no subtitles, but it was pretty easy to figure out.) But again, I needed to twist the facts to fit the story. And don't apologize for pointing out factual inaccuracies. I kind of enjoy reading your reviews and how things actually happened in the series.

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While Atemu and Safiya prepared for the day, the palace was bustling with excitement as servants and royals alike made last minute preparations for the anniversary celebration, which was to celebrate both the Pharaoh's and Queen's wedding anniversary and the success that they had ruling the nation over the year. All in all, the first year of Atemu's and Safiya's reign over Egypt had been a glorious time for the nation, for they had brought both peace and prosperity to the land. When they were not honing their skills in the shadow games, they had been busy fulfilling their royal duties; and in a single year, the two had changed Egypt for the better. They were able to unite many villages and tribes that were once quarrelling and they had restored harmony to the land. They also fed those who were hungry, watered those who were thirsty, and tended to those who were wounded. The Egyptian people loved their Pharaoh and Queen for what they had done, and they intended to show their approval at the celebration.

The anniversary celebration was to take place in the palace common, which was a vast open area covered only by a thin canopy that could be rolled back, weather permitting. And while the women were busy hanging colorful banners and flags, the men were busy rolling the canopy back since the weather looked promising. The sky was overcast, just enough to block out the overbearing sun, but not enough to make the day dark and dreary. The scent of rain drifted with the warm breeze, and a gentle shower fell every now and then, refreshing everything it touched. The combination of cool rain and warm breeze was something that did not occur often, but it lightened the heart of every Egyptian, giving them much needed relief from the scorching desert heat.

Safiya had temporarily abandoned hope of finding suitable clothing, and was standing on the balcony of their quarters, observing the weather. "Oh Atemu, the weather is absolutely beautiful. I can't remember the last time we've seen a day like this." She breathed in deep, relishing the sweet aroma of rain. She felt strong arms wrap around her waist as Atemu came to join her.

"You're right." He kissed the back of her neck. "Let's hurry and get you dressed so we can see if there's anything we can do to help."

She nodded her agreement and turned to face him. He had already dressed himself for the celebration, and she looked him up and down, impressed. He was wearing a floor-length robe of emerald-colored silk with black bands running down its length. A golden sash crisscrossed over his chest, wrapped loosely about his waist, then fell down the front of the robe to the floor. About his bare shoulders hung a long violet cape with golden trimming. He had chosen to wear his traditional headpiece, decorated with the symbol of the Millennium eye, and all of his gold had been polished, including his rings, arm bands, headpiece, and dia diank.

"Well, someone's going all out," she mocked playfully. But before he could respond, she grabbed the front of his robe and pulled him in for a passionate kiss.

"That was unexpected," he said, breathless. A smile played upon his lips. "Unexpected, yet very much appreciated."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. You look that good."

He bowed low to the ground. "I'm glad you approve." He rose and looked her in the eye. "And now, we need to get you dressed."

"Oh, I have just the thing in mind," she said excitedly. "You wait here. I want it to be a surprise."

As she hurried past him and made her way to her wardrobe, Atemu looked out over the palace grounds. He could only see part the common, but what he could see looked magnificent. There were bright colors everywhere and people were hurrying about, putting the food and wine in their proper places. He gazed out over the common for almost half an hour before Safiya came to join him once again.

"So, what do you think?"

Safiya's voice startled him. He turned to look at her and he liked what he saw. When she had his full attention, she spun slowly, allowing him to see everything. She had chosen an elegant form-fitting robe of the same material and color as his, with the same black bands down the sides. A golden sash was wrapped loosely about her waist and hung to the floor in both the front and the back. The cape that graced her shoulders was shorter than his and was azure, not violet, but it did have the same gold trim. She wore a headpiece similar to his, although she had left her long white hair down and it obscured the sides. And like him, she had also polished all of her gold.

After a few minutes of intense observation, he stepped toward her and placed an arm about her waist in a possessive manner. He then pressed his lips to hers and kissed her hungrily.

When he finally pulled away, she was left at a loss for words, so she repeated his own words back to him. "That was unexpected." She paused, before adding, "Unexpected, yet very much appreciated."

Following her lead, he repeated her words back to her. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. You look that good. No, you look even better."

Her smile grew in size until she could no longer contain it and she began to laugh. Atemu quickly joined her, and their laughter echoed throughout the halls.

"It's going to be a good day," he said finally.

"Yes it is. Now let's go get it started."

"Indeed," he agreed, holding out his arm. She placed her hand in his arm and followed as he led her down to the common.

When they arrived at the common, it was apparent that the festivities had begun without them. People were beginning to gather, partaking in the abundant food and wine, and there were even a few brave individuals dancing to the sprightly music.

Atemu smiled in spite of himself. He was glad to see his people enjoying themselves. It was not often that he was able to mingle with those who did not live in the palace, and he was looking forward to meeting his people, one on one. His guest list had included everyone from the high priests and priestesses to the lowliest beggars living on the streets. There was only one person who was not on Atemu's guest list, and he chose to attend, regardless.

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A/N And the prediction prize goes to (drum roll, please)...Josephine Jekyl. I have yet to determine what your prize is, but I'm sure I'll think of something good. If there's anything you want in my writing (possibly a twist or character plug), let me know and I'll see what I can do.


	21. Unexpected Guest

A/N I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh...

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Atemu and Safiya made their way into the gathering crowd, hand in hand. With smiles on their faces, the Pharaoh and Queen got to know the people who served them and lived under their rule. They spoke with the people, ate with the people, and even danced with the people. 

"Come on Atemu, please? You're Pharaoh. No one is going to laugh at you, and if they do, you can just banish them." Safiya laughed as she grabbed Atemu's arm and tried to drag him towards the dancing area.

"Have you ever seen me dance?" He pulled against her, trying to avoid dancing at all costs. "It's not a pretty sight. And I don't want my people to lose all respect for me. That would not be good."

"Oh, get over yourself. The people love you and you'll be fine." She let go of his arm and placed her hands on her hips. "And if you don't dance with me, I'll have to find a different dance partner." And with that, she left Atemu's side and headed toward the music.

"May Ra place a curse upon your head," he half-heartedly muttered under his breath as he went off to join his wife.

Atemu turned out to be a decent dancer, and for hours, he and Safiya put on a show for the people. They even set up large organized dances where the people switched partners and danced as a group. There were many women who wanted nothing more than to dance with their handsome Pharaoh, and there were just as many if not more men who wanted to spend time with their beautiful Queen.

When the two were finally reunited, both were tired and out of breath. "Now that wasn't so bad, was it?" Safiya asked, trying to catch her breath.

"Not at all. But that's more exercise than I've had in a long time." He was equally out of breath, and ready to retire from dancing. "How about we sit for a while?"

"Sounds like an excellent idea."

Atemu slid his arm around her waist and guided her toward two large marble seats that were elevated above the gathering by a series of steps. They maneuvered around groups people until finally, they reached their seats. Sitting together, they watched their people with laughter in their eyes and smiles on their faces. Many came up to personally greet their Pharaoh and Queen and congratulate them, while others remained at a distance, content to simply partake in the food and festivities.

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As day gave way to evening, the palace guards lit torches around the perimeter of the common, allowing the festivities to continue on into the night. Atemu and Safiya had remained seated above the gathering taking in the sights and sounds of their people, and as they were watching the celebration, a servant came up to them and offered them each a glass of wine. 

"Excuse me, my Pharaoh. Would you and the Queen care for some desheret?"

"Oh, Atemu. Desheret is my favorite out of all of the palace wines. I'm glad to see that you spared no expense and served it tonight." Atemu took two glasses from the servant and offered one to Safiya, who took it eagerly. She sipped it slowly, savoring the taste of fruits, herbs, and spices.

After giving Safiya a few moments to enjoy the ambrosial liquid, Atemu rose from his seat with his glass in hand and motioned toward the people for silence. Almost instantaneously, a hush fell over the large gathering. He reached for Safiya's hand and pulled her up to stand beside him.

"If I have to address this mad lot," he shouted, "I'm not doing it alone." Laughter rippled across the gathering, Atemu and Safiya included. "My people, we have gathered this night to celebrate the anniversary of my union to Safiya," he raised his glass to his wife, "and the prosperity that I believe was a direct result of said union." The crowd erupted into cheering as Safiya humbly bowed her head before the people. When the crowd calmed a bit, Atemu continued. "Before we continue on with the celebration, I would like to—"

"I'm sorry to be the one to inform you, Pharaoh, but your celebration will not continue." The voice was cold as ice and seemed to echo from everywhere, stilling the hearts of everyone who heard it.

Atemu and Safiya knew that voice all too well. Seth had returned to the palace to fulfill his promise. They both searched the crowd in vain, trying to locate the former high priest.

"Show yourself, Seth!" Atemu angrily shouted into the air while moving to stand in front of Safiya.

"All this time you have forgotten me, and now, all of a sudden, you wish to see me?" His cold voice dripped with sarcasm. "I'm sorry my dear Atemu, but it does not work that way. I am in control now, and you will take orders from me!" With a sudden rush of wind, every flame surrounding the common was extinguished and the gathering was left in darkness. An unnatural silence followed as no one screamed, for fear that they would incur the wrath of the one who defied their pharaoh.

Within a few minutes, the flames were slowly and individually relit, but not by the palace guards. Each flame was an eerie blue that was not hot to the touch, but cold. And just after the last flame was lit, there was a burst of green light directly in front of Atemu and Safiya.

"Seth," growled Atemu. He was still the man Atemu remembered, although he had changed. His complexion was much darker, and his eyes had turned a sinister shade of green. He no longer wore the white, respectable robes of a high priest, but instead, wore a long dark cloak, covering garments just as dark.

"I'm glad to know that you still remember me, my Lord." He bowed dramatically before his former friend and leader, allowing his cloak to envelope the steps on which he stood.

"What have you done?" Atemu looked over the man, sensing pure evil.

"Well, to make a long story short, I mastered the dark magic of the Shadow Realm and I intend to give your people a show. But enough small talk, I've been waiting a whole year for this moment. Let the show begin!"


	22. Dark Ritual

A/N Yu-Gi-Oh doesn't belong to me... but this plot and Safiya do.

To my reviewers: Thanks for reviewing. As always, I look forward to hearing from you.

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In response to Seth's threat, Atemu and Safiya simultaneously raised their right arms to call forth their guardians. But before they followed through, Seth interrupted their thoughts with evil laughter. They both lowered their arms slightly, curious as to what the former priest found humorous. "I figured you would try to call up your guardians," he began. "And I knew that I would never be able to counter the power of the three god monsters and the green eyes gray dragon combined. So, instead of pouting, I set my mind to finding a way to sidestep your guardians entirely. And finally, it came to me." He paused dramatically. "I believe it was you, Atemu, who told me of the method by which I am going to defeat you. Let's see if you remember it." Laughing to himself, Seth cupped his hands together and a small dark orb formed in his palms. 

Having heard enough, Atemu opened his dia diank and released all three god monsters in a flash. He was unsure of what Seth was referring to, but he did not wanting to leave anything to chance. Safiya followed suit and just as quickly released her green eyes gray dragon.

Seth's laughter grew louder as the orb rapidly increased in size, to the point where it had become as large as the now present guardians. When the orb had stopped growing, Seth stopped laughing and began to chant something in a dialect that Safiya and Atemu both recognized in a heartbeat.

Although she did not understand the words, Safiya recognized the language as that spoken by Mahado when she had received her guardian. After the ceremony with Mahado, when Atemu had led her to the underground arena to release her green eyes gray dragon, he had explained to her that the language was the key to unlocking great power from within the Shadow Realm, power which could be used for good or evil. Safiya knew that Seth's use of the language would bring nothing but malevolence, so she prepared herself for what looked to be a ferocious battle. While she steeled her nerves, she stole a glance at Atemu. She knew that he understood Seth's words, and his reaction frightened her. Her husband, the Pharaoh, was trembling.

"Atemu," she whispered with a tremor in her voice. "What is he saying?"

"H-he is performing a d-dark ritual that will effectively r-remove our only defense." He paused and tried to gather himself, but was unsuccessful. "He's s-sending our guardians to the Sh-Shadow Realm." His eyes grew wide as realization hit him. "When I was y-young, I m-must have told him of the r-ritual so that w-we could be prepared f-for it."

She kneeled beside her husband, beginning to panic. "Can't you stop him? There has to be something we can do!"

Atemu tore his eyes from Seth to look into Safiya's face. He had calmed his voice somewhat, but he was still trembling. "Once the ritual has been started, there is no way to interrupt it. Even if I were to kill him, the dark magic would revive him, allowing him to finish the ritual he began."

Safiya looked up to her dragon, and the great beast looked down at her, awaiting her command. Not willing to accept the fact that she could do nothing to prevent the loss of her guardian, she called out for her dragon to attack. "Asim, attack him with bloodlust rage!" Without a moment's hesitation, the dragon stepped forward to attack, but it was not fast enough.

By the time Safiya had called out for an attack, Seth had completed his chant, and the large black orb that he had created let out wave of dark energy as it swallowed up the four guardians.

The green eyes gray dragon had no chance to react, and it released its powerful blast in Seth's direction. But the interior of the orb reflected the attack back at the dragon, causing damage to both the guardian and to Safiya. Safiya fell to the ground, clutching her chest, as pain coursed through her body, and the dragon let out an ear-piercing roar as it realized what had happened. Unable to attack the offender, the green eyes gray dragon and the three god monsters tried in vain to pierce the walls created by Seth's shadow magic. But it wasn't long before the green eyes gray dragon finally realized that it would not be permitted to escape.

Safiya watched as her guardian relaxed and ceased its onslaught on the shadow magic enclosure. The dragon then slowly lowered its massive head to where she lay on the ground, trembling. Safiya scrambled to her knees and approached the orb as a single tear formed in the dragon's large emerald eye. In her mind, she heard a tortured voice whispering, "I am sorry Safiya."

She called out her guardian's name, her voice unsteady. "Asim?"

In response to her call, the dragon closed its eyes and bowed, one final time.

"I've never before seen anyone so close to his guardian," Seth said quietly. But any awe in his voice was quickly replaced by mocking sarcasm. "It's a shame I'm to be the one separating you." With another shout in the unfamiliar dialect, Seth caused the orb to vanish, taking the guardians with it. "Ah, that's better. I don't care for unfair fights." He paused then added, "Unless I'm the one with the advantage."

"Seth! What have you done with Asim?" Any fear that was left within Safiya's mind had been consumed by hatred and sheer determination.

Seth turned to look at her, his piercing gaze tearing open old emotional wounds. "Safiya, Safiya, Safiya. Your guardian is fine, although, it is doomed to wander in the shadows forever. And from what I've heard, the Shadow Realm is not a fun place. But that's enough of… What did you call it? Asim? Well, that's enough of Asim. Let's talk about you. How have you been? I haven't seen you in a year, and a lot has changed since then. And by the way, how's your eye?" An evil smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he mocked his former servant.

Safiya clenched her fists and prepared to attack Seth herself, but Atemu grabbed her wrist and held her back. "Safiya, now is not the time," he whispered. "I do not need you to bring about your own death. We must wait until an opportunity presents itself. Until then, we can only survive."

Safiya angrily threw off Atemu's grasp, and looked him in the eyes. "We have been waiting too long already. We can't—"

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" Seth's icy voice caused Safiya to stop, mid-sentence. When both Safiya and Atemu had turned to look at him, Seth clapped his hands together. "Now that I have your full attention, shall we continue?"

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A/N Sorry about the evil cliffie guys... 0:) 


	23. Returning the 'Favor'

A/N As much as I'd like it to, Yu-Gi-Oh does not belong to me.

To all my reviewers: I'm so glad you guys like this story. It makes me smile. And here is your reward: the next chapter. Enjoy!

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An evil grin spread across Seth's face as he reached into his cloak and pulled out a small dagger. "You might remember this blade, Pharaoh." Seth flashed the small blade in Atemu's direction, allowing him a glimpse of an ornate white pearl handle with black streaks marbled throughout it forming elegant designs. Atemu's hand instinctively reached up to his loosely wrapped silk belt and felt for the small sheath that was never far from his side. He opened the sheath and pulled out a dagger very similar to Seth's. The only difference being that the handle to Atemu's blade was not white pearl, but black with white marbled throughout it in the same elegant designs. He fingered the small blade as a wave of memories flooded his mind. 

Atemu lowered his eyes to the blade, and when he spoke, his voice was but a soft whisper. "My father gave us these blades as he was dying. He said that they were like two sides of a coin, much like you and I." Atemu slowly raised his gaze to meet Seth's. "We were future Pharaoh and High Priest; small and tall, physically speaking; compassionate and indifferent. And now," he hesitated, the blade falling from his grasp and clattering to the floor, "upright and wicked."

Seth smiled an evil grin. "It looks like your father knew us better than he could have imagined." He lifted the blade into the air and removed his hands. But instead of falling to the ground, the dagger remained suspended in the air, blade aimed toward Atemu and Safiya. "I'm not the only one who has changed, Atemu, oh compassionate Pharaoh." Mock reverence flooded his tone. "It seems as though you've managed to change a few things about yourself as well. You've fallen from high and mighty Pharaoh to a lowly rebel servant's love." The mock reverence was replaced by a sarcastic plea to an unnamed god. "Whatever happened to the days when royals married royals? I fear that the bloodline has been forever tainted due to your stupid ignorance. And if you can't be trusted with the simple issue of marrying properly, why should these fine people trust you as their leader?" Seth knew exactly how to get under Atemu's skin. In one fell swoop, he had insulted Atemu's ability to be a fit Pharaoh and had cast doubt upon Safiya's royalty.

Atemu clenched his fists and prepared to lunge at Seth, but quickly thought better of it. With his fists still clenched, he quickly scanned his options, and found that they were very limited. He had been stripped of his guardians and in hand to hand combat, any physical advantage would have gone to Seth anyway, since the former priest was much taller than the Pharaoh. Even with Safiya fighting by his side, Atemu knew that they would not be able to bring Seth down, especially not now that the man was wielding the dark shadow magic. Finally, Atemu settled on his best option. Knowing that there was strength in numbers, he called forth the palace guards. "Guards! Seize—"

But Seth had anticipated the move and quickly cut the Pharaoh off. Before Atemu could finish his command, Seth waved his hand toward the Pharaoh, muttering a few words under his breath. With a simple curse, Seth removed Atemu's power of speech.

The Pharaoh quickly fell to his knees, clutching his throat, trying to from words, but incapable of doing so. Safiya knelt by his side, her hand on his back. "Atemu! Are you okay?"

In response to her worried questioning, he nodded and motioned toward his throat. He mouthed the words "no voice," in an attempt to make her understand.

"Oh, that's too bad," Seth said mockingly. "It looks like the Pharaoh is all out of words."

Atemu rose to his feet and attempted to shout at the former priest, but instead went into a violent coughing fit, his words catching in his throat. Not willing to stand by and watch her beloved suffer, Safiya stood and faced her former master. "Seth! Leave him alone! It's me you want, let him be!"

"Oh, sorry, I can't do that. First of all, I'd like to make something painstakingly clear." He focused his full attention on her, anger enveloping his features as he stepped toward her. Safiya was vaguely aware of the sound of the previously suspended dagger clattering to the ground. "You may be responsible for the initial sin, Safiya, but he is just as guilty as you are." Seth pointed toward Atemu, who was leaning against a pillar, trying to catch his breath. He quickly returned his attention to his former servant and took another menacing step toward her. "There was a time that I loved you, and a time that I loved him, as well. But in turning to each other, you turned your backs on me." He relaxed slightly, and stepped back. When he continued speaking, his voice was seething with hatred. "And now I am going to return the favor, beginning first with you, Saph." He spat the nickname out as though it were poison on his lips.

Seth took another step back, but maintained eye contact with Safiya. He then put his palms together and began to whisper in the foreign tongue. As he spoke, a great black cloud formed above his head. Safiya stood motionless, her gaze fixated upon the growing cloud. After a few moments passed, Seth separated his palms and the cloud became a large, fierce-looking black lion. Seth then shouted a single word to the shadow lion, and it immediately lunged at Safiya.

She remained motionless, her heart willing her to move, but her mind unable to comply. The only thing that she registered was Seth's wicked laughter echoing in the background as the shadow lion bared its fangs and dove toward her chest. The impact threw her against a pillar, and stars flooded her vision as pain coursed through her body. Inky blackness quickly overtook her mind, and she fell to the floor in a heap as the cloud vanished.

Atemu rushed to her side, gently shaking her, still unable to speak. The impact had knocked her unconscious momentarily, but after a few moments, she awoke. Atemu looked into her eye, trying to offer her whatever comfort he could. He then stood and offered his hand to her. She grasped his hand weakly, and he gently pulled her to a standing position. A moan escaped her lips as her head began to throb and blackness began to creep into the corners of her vision. Seeing that she was unsteady on her feet, Atemu placed his arm around her waist to support her. And so the two stood side by side, helplessly awaiting Seth's next move.


	24. This Ends Now

A/N In no way, shape, or form do I own Yu-Gi-Oh... although it would be nice.

To my reviewers/readers: Thanks for sticking with me. I love reading your reviews and knowing that you guys are out there.

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A deep, mocking laughter arose in Seth's throat. "Isn't this cute? The Pharaoh is standing by his wife to the end." His eyes narrowed and an evil grin formed on his lips as he bent down to the floor to retrieve the pearl-handled dagger. When he spoke again, he lowered his voice to a menacing growl. "Unfortunately for you, the end comes now." He raised the dagger into the air once more, and as before, it remained there after he withdrew his hand. Seth began to chant once again in the ancient tongue, and as he did, the blade began to weave back and forth through the air, much like a snake with no forward motion. 

Atemu and Safiya watched as a thick black cloud formed behind the blade, increasing in size as the weapon continued to move. Without removing her gaze from the cloud, Safiya whispered, "What is that?" Still unable to respond verbally, Atemu tightened his hold on her waist in a vain attempt to reassure her and himself that everything would be okay.

When Seth deemed the cloud to be big enough, he changed the tone of his chanting. His voice rose to a higher pitch, and he began to speak faster. Slowly, the cloud began to take shape. Leathery wings stretched out of the ethereal blackness and a thin tail extended from the rear of the cloud. Legs and arms sprouted out of the sides, followed finally by a thick neck, which snaked out toward the dagger in the front. A small head materialized behind the dagger, with the tip of the blade forming its nose. When fully formed, the cloud had become a vicious black dragon, not much larger than Seth himself.

Looking over his handiwork, Seth chuckled to himself. "Take note of this, Pharaoh, it will be the last thing you see," he said ominously. Seth raised his hand into the air and the dragon immediately took flight, rising into the dark night sky with amazing speed.

After a few moments of heavy silence, Seth whispered, "This is my favorite part." His face contorted into a wicked sneer as he shouted, "Return!"

The dragon obeyed Seth's command and immediately began its descent. It folded in its wings and plummeted toward the common. Within seconds, the dragon was only a few hundred feet from Atemu and Safiya, and closing fast. Both stood motionless, frozen with fear, as Seth began to laugh.

At the sound of Seth's laughter, Safiya forced herself to overcome her fear, as she had done when he had beaten her. With one quick glance at the dragon, she knew what its target was. With not a moment to spare, she forced Atemu to the ground, out of the dragon's path, and braced herself for the blow that was meant for him.

The shadow dragon dove through her chest, passing directly through her heart. Upon exiting her body, it evaporated, its task complete. Safiya stood motionless for a few seconds, looking over her people with unseeing eyes, before she collapsed to the ground. Marking the exact place where the dragon had passed through her body was the dagger, the intense force of the shadow beast lodging it deep within her heart.

"Safiya!" Oblivious of the fact that he had regained his speech, Atemu scrambled to his knees and crawled to her side. He quickly placed one arm beneath her head and the other on the offending object in order to remove it, but the damage had been done, and there was nothing he could do now but hold her. He took her rapidly weakening form in his arms, holding her close while he still could. Bitter tears cascaded down his cheeks as he helplessly watched her life force ebb away with every beat of her heart.

Her eyelids fluttered and she tried to focus on his face. "Atemu…" She coughed violently, a trail of blood forming at the corner of her lips.

"Yes?" He replied unsteadily.

She slowly raised a hand to frame his face and he quickly enveloped it within his own and placed a feather-soft kiss on her fingers. She spoke slowly, between gasping breaths. "No matter what happens, I will always be with you." Her voice faded away, as she fell into a coughing fit. Her last words to her beloved husband were, "Promise me that you will not allow Seth to win."

"I promise," he whispered, his trembling voice betraying his weakness. With tears staining his cheeks, he brought his wife close for one final kiss. Shortly after their lips touched, Safiya's body went limp, and she breathed her last. Atemu finished the kiss, and gently lowered her body to the ground.

The Pharaoh, having lost all that was dear to him, stood slowly as a righteous anger consumed him. "This ends now Seth!"

"Indeed it does," agreed Seth, planning on ending the Pharaoh's life in one fell swoop.

Atemu placed both hands on the Millennium Puzzle that was never far from his neck and began to chant. He closed his eyes and spoke in the same ancient dialect that Seth had used. While he chanted, a cool breeze began to whip around the palace grounds. The gentle breeze quickly strengthened, becoming a strong wind. As is tore through the palace grounds, it extinguished the blue flames that Seth had ignited, plunging the palace grounds into darkness yet again. But the darkness did not remain for long. The Puzzle began to glow with an intense white light, and Seth's smug confidence quickly vanished as screams tore from his throat.

Seth knew what was about to happen. He knew the words that Atemu was reciting, and he had heard tales concerning the powers of the Millennium Puzzle. But he never put any weight in the tales, figuring them to be nothing more than rumors. Unfortunately for him, the tales were fact, and he turned to run, fleeing for his life.

With tears in his eyes, Atemu gave one final shout in the foreign tongue, and Seth's lifeless body crashed to the ground, mid-stride. At the same moment, Atemu's body fell to the ground, lifeless. And as he fell, the Millennium Puzzle fell with him, until it hit the ground and shattered. The wind died down, as did the glow from the Puzzle pieces, and the people were left to wonder what had happened.

Only a few knew what truly happened that day, and these were the ones who had told the tales. They had spoken of how one day a brave pharaoh would utilize the full power of the Puzzle to sacrifice his soul in order to trap another. In the process, they said, the Puzzle would be broken, and both souls would be sealed within the pieces until someone released them both, by reassembling the Millennium Puzzle. Atemu was that pharaoh, and he had sacrificed his soul in order to stop Seth's evil spirit from bringing about utter destruction.

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A/N Keep an eye out for part two of this series, to be uploaded soon. Hope you liked part one. Until we meet again reader, I bid you adieu.


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